Photo Credit: NBA Africa/Instagram
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) are bringing their renowned Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp to East Africa for the very first time. From August 23 to 26, Kigali, Rwanda, will host 60 of the continent’s top young basketball talents, aged 18 and under, at the Petit Stade.
This camp has become a vital platform for young players across Africa to sharpen their skills and learn from some of the biggest names in basketball. Current and former NBA, WNBA, and FIBA players, legends, and coaches will be on hand to guide these rising stars. Besides training, the camp will also focus on life skills, leadership development, and social responsibility — all key ingredients for nurturing well-rounded athletes.
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa, shared her excitement about hosting the camp in East Africa, saying, “Basketball Without Borders Africa continues to provide a platform for top young players from across the continent to continue their development and reach the highest levels of the game. We look forward to bringing this year’s camp to East Africa at a time when there is incredible momentum around the game in the region.”
Rwanda has steadily built a strong reputation in African basketball circles. In recent years, it has hosted key events including the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifiers and several Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs and Finals. The country also recently welcomed the FIBA U-16 AfroBasket tournaments for both boys and girls, alongside a regional youth camp. Kimberley Gaucher, FIBA’s Head of Players Unit, notes that hosting the BWB camp in Rwanda underlines its increasing significance on the continent’s basketball map.
“Hosting this edition in Rwanda is particularly significant, as the country has established a strong footprint in African basketball over recent years,” she says.
Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002, will be outfitting the campers with the latest apparel and footwear, adding to the excitement.
Since its inception in 2001, the BWB programme has welcomed over 4,600 participants from 144 countries and territories. Its impact is clear with 142 former campers advancing to the NBA and WNBA either through the draft or as free agents.
From Africa, fourteen former BWB campers have been drafted into the NBA and WNBA, including stars like Joel Embiid of Cameroon, the 2023 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player, Pascal Siakam, a 2019 NBA champion also from Cameroon, and South Sudan’s Khaman Maluach, who was the 10th overall pick in 2025.
