The National Basketball Association (NBA) Africa, the International Basketball Association (FIBA) and Egyptian Basketball Federation to Host Basketball Without Borders in Egypt this Month

The NBA, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Egyptian Basketball Federation today announced that the 2022 Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp will be held Sunday, Aug. 28 – Wednesday, Aug. 31 at Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo, Egypt.  The 18^th BWB Africa camp will mark the first time the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach program will be held in Egypt and the first time on the continent since 2019 in Senegal.

BWB Africa 2022 will bring together more than 60 of the top male and female players ages 18 and under from across Africa to learn directly from current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players, legends and coaches and compete alongside the best young players on the continent.  The campers and coaches will also take part in life skills, leadership development and community service programming.

“Basketball Without Borders is our flagship elite development camp in Africa, and we are delighted that the event is resuming on the continent for the first time in three years,” said NBA Africa CEO Victor Williams.  “Since its launch in 2003, BWB Africa has provided a platform for top young players from Africa to develop and showcase their skills while continuing to grow the continent’s basketball ecosystem.  We look forward to once again working with FIBA on this signature program and are excited to collaborate with the Egyptian Basketball Federation to bring this special event to Egypt for the first time.”

“It is great to see Basketball Without Borders return to Africa for this 18^th edition,” said FIBA National Federations & Sport Director, Zoran Radovic.  “It is clear that the talent in this part of the world is strong, and we have seen some great players who have attended BWB camps rise up and become superstars.  Together with the NBA, we are proud to help continue to build and strengthen basketball in Africa and provide these future players with skills they will use both on and off the court.”

“We are delighted to host BWB for the first time in North Africa and Egypt,” said Egyptian Basketball Federation President, Dr. Magdy Abo Frekha.  “It’s a great honor to welcome the young talents of Africa to the land of the Pharaohs.  In 2022, Cairo has hosted the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, Basketball Africa League, and now BWB, which gives us the feeling that basketball in Egypt is growing and flourishing.  I want to thank NBA Africa and FIBA for their trust in Egypt’s capabilities to organize remarkable events.”

A record 41 former BWB campers were among the record 121 international players on opening-night rosters for the 2021-22 NBA season, including 2019 NBA champion Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012) and five-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011).  The 2022 NBA Draft saw two former BWB Africa campers drafted into the NBA: Christian Koloko (No. 33 overall by the Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2017) and Khalifa Diop (No. 39 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers; Senegal; BWB Africa 2018).  In total, 12 former BWB Africa campers have been drafted into the NBA since 2003.

The NBA and FIBA have hosted 65 BWB camps in 30 countries since the program’s launch in 2001.  BWB has reached more than 3,800 participants from 133 countries and territories, with 105 former campers drafted into the NBA and WNBA or signed as free agents.

BWB Africa 2022 will be supported by Nike, which will outfit participants with Nike apparel and footwear, and Gatorade, which will keep players and coaches hydrated throughout the camp.

BWB Africa 2022 campers and coaches will be announced in the coming weeks.


About NBA Africa:
NBA Africa is a standalone entity formed in May 2021 that conducts the NBA’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The NBA has a long history in Africa and opened its African headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010 before opening additional offices in Dakar, Senegal, and Lagos, Nigeria.  The league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, the BAL, and more. 

NBA games and programming are available in all 54 African countries, and the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent since 2015.  The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that recently completed its second season.  Fans can follow @NBA_Africa and @theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.