NBA Africa has embarked on a significant initiative to uplift basketball in Kenya through a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports. This collaboration aims to enhance coaching development, player development, and elite player training while improving basketball infrastructure across the country. The journey began with a two-day junior coaches’ training held at the newly constructed Kenya Academy of Sports Basketball courts at Kasarani.
This event marked the first step in a broader plan to elevate basketball in Kenya, a country with a rich sporting culture but limited resources dedicated to basketball. Michael Finley, the Kenya Country Lead for NBA Africa, emphasized the importance of starting with the basics: coaching. “We have recruited coaches with the help of the Red Cross and our partners AFD. The coaches are key to this game and the industry of basketball evolving in Kenya. That’s the foundation and that’s where we have to start,” Finley noted.
The coaches who participated in this training were carefully selected to form the backbone of a growing basketball community in Kenya. These individuals, trained by Junior NBA coach instructor O’Karo Akamune, are now equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to nurture young talent across the country. “These young men and women will help us run this programme and hopefully many other programmes and recruit many other coaches in the country. This is just the beginning,” Finley added, highlighting the long-term vision behind the initiative.
The significance of this training goes beyond just improving coaching standards. As Kita Matungulu, NBA Africa’s Director of Basketball Operations, pointed out, the ultimate goal is to make basketball accessible to all corners of Kenya, including the most remote areas. “The idea is to penetrate the deepest areas and provide access to the game,” Matungulu said. He acknowledged that while many schools in Kenya have basic basketball courts, the facilities are often underutilized. NBA Africa’s involvement aims to change this by building a solid foundation that will help the sport flourish in Kenya.
Kenya’s economic position as the leading economy in East Africa and one of the top economies in the continent makes it a strategic location for NBA Africa’s initiatives. Matungulu reflected on past successes, noting how young Kenyan talents had excelled in the NBA’s “Basketball Without Borders” program, which was unfortunately halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the resumption of such programs, combined with high-level coaching and sustained activities, Matungulu believes that Kenya can become a powerhouse in African basketball. “We believe with the sustained programme of training coaches and continuity of the activities and high-level coaching, the level of the game can be pushed to a level where Kenya becomes a basketball force in Africa,” he said.
This ambitious plan extends beyond just training coaches. NBA Africa aims to establish a robust scouting program that will identify and nurture talent, ensuring that players have the opportunity to reach the next level. The emphasis on skill development is also a priority, as Matungulu noted that while Kenya has many natural athletes, they often lack the refined skills necessary to excel in basketball. The follow-up to this training will involve competitions and other activities designed to give players the exposure they need to succeed.
The impact of this training was immediately felt by the participants. Fabrice Simon, one of the newly trained coaches, expressed how the workshop had influenced his approach. “What I have picked in training is some adjustments to what we are doing. So far, we have done some things in training but somehow not in the proper way. We have learned communication to the kids that we train is key, and the use of proper words when communicating to the kids in order to make that communication easy and clear to the kids,” Simon said.
Another participant, Susan Nyambura, highlighted the importance of the infrastructure improvements being made alongside the coaching development. “First of all, this is great because this is growth. At least we are seeing they are bringing more courts, especially in this location along Thika Road. I’m hoping we have more of such projects to come. But this is a great project, and we appreciate it,” she remarked.
The NBA Africa initiative in Kenya is a promising start that could reshape the future of basketball in the country. By investing in coaching, infrastructure, and talent development, NBA Africa is laying the groundwork for Kenya to become a formidable force in the sport on the continent. This is just the beginning, and the impact of these efforts is expected to resonate for years to come.
