Basketball Without Borders

African prospects will now compete for places at a new global academy in the United Arab Emirates.

The NBA says the move does not reduce its commitment to Africa, with other programs including the Basketball Africa League and Basketball Without Borders continuing.

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So why is it closing? Instead of operating separate elite academies around the world, it's consolidating that pathway into the NBA Global Academy in Abu Dhabi.

African players can still be selected for that program, and the NBA says it will continue developing players on the continent through things like Basketball Without Borders and the BAL.

So technically, the pathway hasn't disappeared, but it has moved.

And I think that's an important distinction, because previously, an elite African prospect could enter the NBA development environment in Africa.

Now, if you're selected for that highest level of academy system, that journey potentially takes you to the Middle East.

And Reuters spoke to former staff who questioned what that closure says about the NBA's commitment to developing players on the continent itself.

The NBA says this isn't a retreat from Africa, but a change in its global development strategy pointing to programs like the BAL, Basketball Without Borders and Junior NBA.

Both things can be true.

If you are good in basketball, the NBA will find you.

They do run Basketball Without Borders in South Africa.

They have discovered lots of players in South Africa, including the NBA champion, uh, uh, uh, Giannis Antetokounmpo, at these clinics that they have.

They used to have a Senegal, an academy in, in Senegal, the only academy by the NBA in Africa, and this was the legacy of the former managing executive of the NBA Africa, Amadou Fall, who's now the chief exec, the commissioner of the Basketball Africa League.