Cut | , | February 19, 2019

 

On the heels of All-Star Weekend, the NBA made a pretty headline-worthy announcement: it’s going global.

 

Commissioner Adam Silver announced that, alongside the International Basketball Federation, the NBA is planning on starting a new league in Africa. It will be referred to as the Basketball Africa League.

 

 

Currently, the plan is to have 12 teams representing the countries of Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. A tournament will be held for chosen teams to compete for one of the spots in the league.

 

 

The Basketball Africa League marks the NBA’s first ever attempt at establishing an international arm, and is seen as a natural extension to the NBA’s recent efforts to increase its global presence.

 

Barack Obama, who is heavily featured in the NBA’s announcement video for the league, appears to be an early fan. Here’s what he said:

 

 

The former President has also expressed interest in playing a part in the league, though his official role is yet to be determined.

 

We’ll have to wait and see, but we’re excited to see Barack sitting courtside when the Basketball Africa League officially launches in January 2020.

 

Cover image via Twitter @Sortiwa.