NBA shuts its only elite African academy and looks to Abu Dhabi

The NBA has found a tidy way to describe withdrawal without quite admitting it. Its only elite training academy in Africa, NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, has been closed, and the league says future training will be run through a new global academy set to open soon in Abu Dhabi. The wording is smooth enough. The geography is less flattering: the continent that was meant to be part of basketball’s future has lost its flagship base.

NBA Academy Africa opened in Senegal in 2018 and, according to Michael Abbott, its former head of academic planning, trained about 110 students. Some moved on to elite schools and universities in the United States, and the strongest made it to the NBA draft. Ulrich Kamka Chomche of Cameroon became the first graduate drafted into the NBA in 2024 and played for the Toronto Raptors. Khaman Maluach of South Sudan now plays for the Phoenix Suns.

For those who worked at the academy, the closure landed badly. Michel Chikwanine, the former performance and lifestyle adviser, said the announcement dampened the confidence of young players who were only beginning to believe the pathway was real. Abbott was blunter, arguing that the league seemed more committed to the business model than to the children it was supposed to develop. Large institutions do enjoy speaking about opportunity; they are less fond of paying for it in one place for long.

The NBA says the move reflects a broader global basketball development strategy. In response to questions from Reuters, it said it had previously closed academies in Mexico and Australia as well. It added that all training will be handled through the new global academy in Abu Dhabi, once it opens, and that the shift would give young players greater exposure to professional coaches and scouts from around the world.

The league also insists that Africa has not been downgraded. It points to the Basketball Africa League, which has completed six seasons, and Basketball Without Borders, which runs elite camps for young people worldwide, including in Africa. Troy Justice, the NBA senior vice president, said in a statement that the league is proud of the academy’s impact and remains committed to developing the next generation of African players.

That may satisfy a press release. It is less convincing to the people who now have to compete globally for a place in a programme that is no longer based in Senegal. Chikwanine said closing the academy will limit opportunities for African prospects, many of whom come from difficult backgrounds and need specific support. He also argued that the decision reinforces a familiar message on the continent: big companies arrive promising investment in people, then leave with the value.

The NBA rejects the idea that the closure will reduce opportunities for young African players. It says concentrating training in one location will improve access to professional coaches and scouts. Perhaps. But Africa has lost its only elite academy, and the replacement is still only promised, not yet opened. For a league that likes to speak the language of global reach, that is a rather revealing detail.

Written by Martina Kirchner martina.kirchner@alpineweekly.com