African basketball seizes the BAL: “The level of play increases every year”
At the Basket Africa League (BAL), nothing is left to chance. From the brand-new court emblazoned with "BAL, Dakar, Senegal," to the dozen security guards who take over during timeouts, to the T-shirt-launching guns to liven up the packed stands, everything is done to emphasize the NBA's high standards.
Founded in 2020, the BAL is a pan-African competition organized and subsidized by the American league with the support of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). A sort of basketball version of the Champions League, it brings together the continent's twelve best clubs from twelve countries. In 2025, these are Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Nigeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Rwanda, Angola, Libya, South Africa, Kenya, and Mali. This year, the first group stages were hosted in Rabat, Morocco, from April 5 to 13, and in Dakar, from April 26 to May 4. The remaining phase will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from May 17 to 25, followed by the playoffs and final in Pretoria, South Africa, from June 6 to 14.
"In its five years of existence, the BAL has made a profound contribution to the development of basketball in Africa," says Makhtar Ndiaye, the first Senegalese player to join the NBA in 1998. Many players are already seeing the benefits of these transformations. "My first BAL, in 2022, prepared me well for the rest of my career, especially because I had never played in front of such a large crowd and in such good conditions," says Babacar Sané, 21, who is already a Senegalese international.
SpringboardThanks to the subsidies it provides to qualified clubs, the BAL allows athletes to be decently paid, imposing a minimum monthly salary of €1,200 over the four months of the tournament. Players also have access to training camps, a medical team, and receive new equipment.
"For the first time, we have a competition that showcases African players," continues Babacar Sané, who stands at 2.01 meters tall, while at least five NBA scouts attend the event and BAL games are broadcast live on Canal+ Afrique and the NBA website. In 2022, Babacar Sané was recruited by the G League, a minor league of the NBA. Should we then see the BAL as a springboard? "That's not the objective, but if it happens for some, so much the better ," replies its president, Amadou Gallo Fall. Our goal is to build a competitive, world-class league, which would aim to retain young African talent."
As proof that the league is becoming more attractive, even beyond the continent, more and more players from European or American leagues are making the opposite journey to play in the BAL. Babacar Sané has just returned from the G League, Cape Verdean-Portuguese Ivan Almeida has arrived from the Portuguese league's first division, and Ivorian international point guard Souleyman Diabaté, a long-time Pro A player in France, has settled in Angola. "The level of play in the BAL is increasing every year," argues the latter, recruited by Petro Atlético de Luanda.
And the financial conditions offered to these players seem very good, often equivalent to those of their previous championship. Up to 26,000 euros per month for some, according to Amadou Gallo Fall. "All the teams are structuring themselves and putting in the resources to be able to win their national competition and then the BAL. This creates a competitiveness necessary for the development of basketball on the continent," underlines Souleyman Diabaté, who nevertheless regrets the salary gaps with other local players.
CelebritiesParticipating clubs also benefit from the support of the BAL, which sets up training courses for coaches and referees, called "clinics" , and covers all their expenses (plane tickets, hotels, transport, etc.) during the competition.
The only downside is that the impact on national federations has so far been very limited. "There's still a lot of work to be done on their part to make the national championships attractive," observes Syra Sylla, founder of Dakar Hoops, an association that promotes the development of basketball in Senegal. "Federations must draw inspiration from the BAL organization to continue the work of professionalizing basketball on the continent." "With the BAL, there's enthusiasm, there's passion," adds Makhtar Ndiaye. "Now it's up to our leaders to dig deep to keep this tournament going and develop basketball."
Beyond the sporting performance, Amadou Gallo Fall highlights the socio-economic benefits generated by the league, which has created 37,000 direct and indirect jobs in the countries hosting the competitions since 2020.
In five years, the BAL also seems to have won over its audience. From 45,000 spectators in the stands during the first edition, they have grown to 120,000 in 2024, and already 75,000 have been counted between Rabat and Dakar in 2025. Following the NBA model, the BAL is banking on the presence of celebrities in the stands and a well-orchestrated show on the court. The Dakar public thus enjoyed performances by Senegalese singer Viviane Chidid and Ivorian Tam Sir, performer of the famous Coup du marteau. "We have the material to continue this great league, both on and off the court," concludes an optimistic Amadou Gallo Fall.
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