The United States National Basketball Association (NBA) has committed to support the development of the sport in Kenya after opening an office in Nairobi.
To commemorate the inauguration of the NBA’s fifth African office, the organization has put up a Junior NBA clinic that is set to engage 70 boys and girls in Nairobi.
The NBA also announced plans to implement grassroots programmes to nurture talent in the country.
It will partner with the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Education and Kenya Basketball Federation to develop a comprehensive basketball ecosystem.
This is in line with the Memorandum of Understanding signed in New York in September between the NBA and the Ministry of Sports in the presence of President William Ruto.
Egypt, Senegal, South Africa and Nigeria are the only other African countries hosting NBA offices.
President Ruto described the initiative as a turning point in the development of the sport in the country.
He said the move will give Kenyan youth the opportunity to pursue professional basketball.
“Professional basketball promises to enhance talent commercialisation and transform the lives of our youth,” he said.
Ruto made the remarks after meeting NBA officials led by NBA Africa CEO Victor Williams, five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, and NBA Kenya Senior Director and Country Operations Lead Michael Finley at State House Nairobi.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja in September also announced that Kenya has struck a deal with the NBA for the construction of a sports arena in Nairobi.
“We are working with Masai Ujiri to create the Nairobi Arena, (check out the Kigali Arena); this will be bigger and more exciting,” Sakaja said via his X handle.
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