BasketballNBA Academy Africa closes: a gap in youth basketball
The NBA has closed its only elite training academy in Africa and moved training to a new global academy in Abu Dhabi.
The NBA has closed NBA Academy Africa, its only elite training academy on the continent, Reuters reported on 1 October 2026. Opened in Senegal in 2018, the academy trained about 110 students, many of whom went on to elite schools and universities in the United States.
Where training goes
Training moves to a new global academy in Abu Dhabi, where African prospects will compete with players from other regions for places. Academy graduates include Ulrich Chomche of Cameroon, the first graduate drafted into the NBA in 2024, and Khaman Maluach of South Sudan.
The NBA's position
The league says the closure does not reduce its commitment to Africa, and that it continues to invest through the Basketball Africa League and its Basketball Without Borders camps.
What it means
Elite youth basketball training now has less presence on the continent. Local academies and youth programmes that can fill part of that gap may become more relevant to brands looking for long-term, impact-driven partnerships with young talent.
Source: Reuters via CP24, 1 October 2026. Figures as reported by the source.
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