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The NBA will look at hosting a preseason game in Africa in 2024 with Nigeria not considered.
The NBA is reportedly already working on hosting basketball games on the African continent.
The NBA is the biggest basketball league in the world and is looking towards bringing its star players to the African audience.
The plan for an NBA fixture in Africa was made known by Amadou Gallo Fall the President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
The NBA previously has three exhibition games in Africa in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
The games however did not feature NBA teams but a special Team Africa against Team World outing.
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NBA pre-season games in Africa
In an interview with ESPN, Gallo Fall explained that discussions are already in place for two NBA teams to play in Africa.
Gallo Fall revealed this at the BAL combine in Paris where the Detroit Pistons will take on the Chicago Bulls in an NBA regular season fixture.
He said, “This was always part of the plan. Those African games that were hosted before, the crowds were just incredible.
"I know this is going to happen, and it is in the plans.”
Gallo Fall noted that the NBA already has expansion offices on the African continent.
The NBA has regional offices in Cairo (Egypt), Johannesburg (South Africa), Lagos (Nigeria), and Dakar (Senegal).
BAL Vice president John Manyo-Plange confirmed talks for the NBA to bring two teams to Africa.
He explained that 2024 is the target and that BAL will be involved in the scheduling.
He added, “There are definitely plans to bring two actual NBA teams to the African continent, and of course, we will find plans to build BAL activations into that,” BAL vice president
"We are looking for a way for us to expose African club teams to global talent in a way they do not usually have access to.
“In the past, before the BAL, African teams signed foreign players without even seeing them play. This gives us a chance to have teams and expose them to this kind of talent in a place that makes it easier for them to come together.”
It is expected that the country selected for this enormous event will already have hosted BAL games which rules Nigeria a massive basketball nation out welcoming the first NBA preseason games on the continent.
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