r/nba • u/Immediate-Link490 • 4h ago
NBA closes sole training academy in Africa in blow to young players
Article link: https://www.cp24.com/news/sports/2026/10/01/nba-closes-sole-training-academy-in-africa-in-blow-to-young-players/
DAKAR - The NBA has closed its only elite training academy in Africa, current and former officials told Reuters, less than a decade after it was launched in Senegal to prepare promising young African players for professional leagues in the US and elsewhere.
The decision to close NBA Academy Africa, the league’s first such facility in Africa, was a blow to students and young players across the continent, two former employees said.
Michel Chikwanine, who had been the academy’s performance and lifestyle advisor, said the news discouraged African players just beginning to build confidence.
“From the moment we told them, their confidence waned, their confidence dropped,” he said.
Michael Abbott, former head of academic planning at the academy, said it showed a lack of commitment to the students.
“They weren’t invested in them as kids as much as they were invested in the business model,” he said.
In response to questions from Reuters, the NBA said the decision reflected a shift in global basketball development strategy. It has previously closed academies in Mexico and Australia. All training will be run out of a new global academy to open soon in the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi, it said.
In its statement, the NBA added that it is continuing to invest in African talent through other programs and that closing the academy does not signal a diminished commitment to the continent.
It cited examples such as the creation of a Basketball Africa League which has concluded six seasons and Basketball Without Borders, which organizes elite training camps for youths worldwide including in Africa.
Success and then closure
NBA Academy Africa has trained around 110 students since launching in Senegal in 2018, Abbott said, with many moving on to elite schools and universities in the U.S.. The most successful students were drafted to the NBA.
Graduate Ulrich Kamka Chomche of Cameroon became the first player to be drafted into the NBA in 2024 and played for the Toronto Raptors. Former academy student Khaman Maluach of South Sudan plays for the Phoenix Suns.
Chikwanine, the performance adviser, said closing the academy will limit opportunities for African players, who often come from challenging backgrounds and need specific support. All African prospects will have to compete globally for spots in the UAE.
He said the NBA’s decision reinforced a message felt by many Africans that big companies come to the continent claiming to want to invest in people, but in reality, just want to make money.
“They come in with an extraction mindset,” he said. “That has always been a reality on the continent of Africa… there is a huge mistrust that has been built.”
The NBA denied that closing the academy would limit opportunities for young African players. It said hosting all young players at a single location would give them greater exposure to professional coaches and scouts worldwide.
“We’re incredibly proud of the impact that NBA Academy Africa has had and remain committed to developing the next generation of African players,” Troy Justice, NBA senior vice president, said in a statement, adding that several other youth development initiatives still operate on the continent.
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u/teccy366 Raptors 3h ago
in fucking Abu Dhabi? Who is paying for that I wonder?
Got to get that oil cash somehow...
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u/1mYourHuckleberry93 Raptors 42m ago
Right? Not a single talented baller has come from there and the culture doesn’t give a fuck about basketball.
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u/coocoach Vancouver Grizzlies 3h ago
Man that is absolutely disgusting. You go to these underserved areas to help find hidden gems, real underdog stories and you close it down to open a place in UAE. NBA has the resources to do both, it’s a multi billion dollar organization. They wouldn’t and maybe they couldn’t do this if Mutombo was still here.
NBA players should re-fund these academies. But I guess they would be paying to train their replacements
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u/daregulater 76ers 3h ago
NBA players from the continent have been over there for decades helping grow the sport. Almost every African player in the NBA now is here because they had a pro helping and guiding them along. I dont think they feel as though is training their replacements. An NBA player isnt going to have to worry about current 10-14 year olds taking their spots
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u/Yusuke_Boopermeshi 3h ago
Have they been successful in that though?
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u/daregulater 76ers 3h ago
Do you see the amount of players coming from the African continent in the last few years? Yea they may not have all been from the NBA academy but theres growing interest and participation in the sport on the continent
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u/CCWaterBug 3h ago
2 players...
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u/CasanovaCoverup 2h ago
Better yet, I would love to see NBA GM's fund programs like these independantly. Hire former players or even development coaches to oversee and suppport them.
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u/thedrcubed Grizzlies 3h ago
Why open one up in Dubai of all places? Has any basketball talent ever come out of anywhere within 1000 miles of there?
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u/flowergies Kings 3h ago
Not to be pedantic, but Abu Dhabi is different city-state in UAE, it's actually the one where the oil money and government is. And it's awful one, but Dubai gets all the hate.
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u/thedrcubed Grizzlies 3h ago
I'm confused, Is Abu Dhabi where the academy is going to be?
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u/MrBuckBuck Trail Blazers 3h ago
Maybe it is due to their new EuroLeague team?
Cannot think much else as for a reason.
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u/brigand96 3h ago
I wonder if it's due to flights being easier to access Dubai than Senegal. I guess globally it's more central and closer to China... Although the war has had an effect on transportation.
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u/thedrcubed Grizzlies 3h ago
Very possibly. I've never been but heard it's like Vegas when it comes to flights. Don't know why that should matter in this case.
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u/k1ngkoala Lakers 3h ago
Just gonna assume this is a money decision because I'm not sure how replacing facilities in Africa, Mexico, and Australia with one in the UAE will lead to more talent. Unfortunate for all the players impacted.
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u/Zestyclose-Draft-724 Lakers 3h ago
Don't worry. I'm sure China will make more elite basketball facilities.
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u/Jonathank92 Magic 3h ago
my thoughts...NBA if shifting focus/$ to Europe. The # of stars coming out of the program isn't high enough to justify the investment to the ruling class/owners. Ballmer bankrolled a lot of things for the NBA apparently and now that he is likely pissed at the league his pocketbook is closed.
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u/Raptorpicklezz Raptors 3h ago
So essentially this is Kuminga's fault for busting. Killed the G League Ignite and this too
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u/EditEd2x 3h ago
I have a hard time finding courts in my city in the US. Been wanting to go shoot some hoops for exercise and it’s like there aren’t any courts around.
Witch is wild because I could walk to several courts back in the 90s.
I Google search and none of the local parks show they have more than 1 court if they have any at all.
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u/TelevisionExpress616 2h ago
“All training will be run out of a new global academy to open soon in the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi, it said”
Lol ok. Senegal better ramp up oil production by 1000% I guess
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u/pistola1235 2h ago
The NBA does not care about spreading the game. The RGV Vipers partnered with my hometown and redid our parks and recreation. And now the parks and rec basketball league is 50% more expensive than it was before. How is that spreading the game?
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u/electricalserge Thunder 3h ago
"Adam 'Mr. Krabs' Silver, what is your response to the closure of this development for rising young talent in Africa and why have you chosen the UAE instead?"
"Money"
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u/Upper_Maintenance_41 Warriors 3h ago
The NBA has basically unlimited money and this costs basically nothing. It's sad what sports have become. Steph is really the only thing keeping me in the NBA but I imagine I will drop that. I am enjoying the WNBA as a throwback to what sports used to be like, but they are also gouging the fans nowadays and it's a matter of time before that becomes like everything else.
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u/Difficult_Tackle9505 1h ago
Yea wnba and women's soccer are now gouging fans for as much as possible.
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u/Man0nTheMoon915 Celtics 2h ago
This was opened around 2021-22 no? That is quite fast and disappointing
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u/1850ChoochGator Trail Blazers 31m ago
As long as the league continues to support the BAL, BWB, and is just closing this one academy, I think it’s fine?
Most African players get discovered through work with a former pro from Africa anyway so the right way to do this would be to back those player camps imo.
I don’t think closing Mexico and Australia is a good look especially when opening one in Abu Dhabi instead.
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u/HucktoMe 2h ago
All training will be run out of a new global academy to open soon in the United Arab Emirates’ Abu Dhabi, it said.
NBA chases that money over everything. Assholes.
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u/Maleficent-King-799 2h ago
Why wasn't anyone upset when they closed down the mexico and Australia academies https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/s/FPhLf9BYbL
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u/Key_Fox3289 2h ago
Why say this when the threads have about the same amount of responses?
Further, people will naturally be more upset the more far reaching it is. So adding a third facility on top of announcing it’s all for an Abu Dhabi location is bigger news than just the 2 locations
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u/LouisIcon 76ers 3h ago
It's because the UAE and Saudi funded the Lakers purchase. That is where most the capital is coming from in the Kushner and Iger deal.
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u/Ok-Net9433 Raptors 3h ago
Closing the NBA facilities in Australia, Mexico and Africa to have an NBA facility in the UAE is certainly a choice driven by basketball and not money…..