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NBA Turns To Africa For The Most Recent Talent Pool For The 2022 draft

The NBA, which is renowned for its global reach, has gone to Africa to locate its most recent flood of talent.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver claims that NBA Africa, which was founded in May 2021 and is worth at “almost $1 billion,” has given the NBA a presence on the continent. NBA Africa wants to build business alliances, NBA academies, and social projects in addition to expanding media rights across the continent.

The Basketball Africa League (BAL), a 12-team professional league that debuted last year, is also under its management. The NBA and FIBA, the world’s governing body of basketball, collaborated to create the BAL. Through NBA TV, ESPN, TSN, and Tencent Sports, it was shown in more than 200 countries during the most recent season.

Former NBA players Dikembe Mutombo, Grant Hill, and Luol Deng have invested in NBA Africa, as have Helios Fairfax Partners, an investment holding company that deals with African companies. The NBA’s expanding global spending and presence are closely tied to its on-court performance. No former NCAA player has taken home the league’s MVP honor since 2018.

On Thursday, the 2022 NBA Draft begins at 7:30 p.m. ET. The NFL, however, is considering future games and training sessions in Nigeria and other African nations.

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