The NBA has closed its only elite training academy in Africa, ending an eight-year run for a program that helped develop multiple players who eventually reached the league.
NBA Academy Africa in Senegal has shut down as the league consolidates its elite international development efforts into a new global academy in Abu Dhabi, according to Reuters.
The Senegal academy opened in 2018 and trained roughly 110 players. Its alumni include Khaman Maluach and Ulrich Chomche, both of whom reached the NBA.
The move has drawn criticism from some former academy employees, particularly because the Senegal program provided opportunities for young players who otherwise may have struggled to gain access to elite coaching, education and exposure.
NBA officials told Reuters the decision doesn’t mean the league is abandoning player development in Africa. The league plans to continue investing on the continent through programs including Basketball Without Borders and the Basketball Africa League, while elite prospects will have an opportunity to train at the new Abu Dhabi facility.
Still, there’s no getting around what has changed. For nearly a decade, promising African players had an NBA development academy on their own continent. Now they’ll have to go somewhere else.
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