This is according to President William Ruto, who on Wednesday, October 9 met NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum at State House.
In an ambitious bid to popularize basketball in Kenya, the National Basketball Association (NBA) of the United States (US) will embark on the construction of 100 basketball courts countrywide.
This is according to President William Ruto, who on Wednesday, October 9 met NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum at State House. He was accompanied by five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher and US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman.
According to the Head of State, the 100 courts across Kenya will be domiciled in schools and communities, in a bid to bring a sport considered the most popular in the US to a grassroots level in Kenya.
President William Ruto jostling for a basketball with five-time NBA champion Ron Harper at State House, Nairobi on November 29, 2023. /PCS
“The National Basketball Association (NBA) of the United States will build 100 basketball courts in schools and communities across Kenya in the next decade in an effort to grow the sport,” stated Ruto on his social media pages.
“In addition, the NBA is also establishing its commercial hub in Nairobi, a major boost for investment in our country.”
NBA representatives have been in Kenya for the last few days to engage with various stakeholders across the country. According to Tatum, the building of courts will be done across Africa as the association aims to support local talent including coaches.
“Our collaboration with Opportunity International reflects our commitment to investing in local basketball ecosystems across Africa and providing youth with the resources and opportunities to develop their leadership and basketball skills,” Tatum noted.
“We look forward to working together to create safe spaces where Kenyan and Rwandan youth can play the game and participate in programs that help develop the next generation of coaches and mentors.”
On September 21, 2023, Ruto signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) deal on behalf of Kenya with the NBA which eventually saw it open an office in Nairobi a couple of months later.
The NBA will work in conjunction with the Ministry of Sports, the Ministry of Education, and the Kenya Basketball Federation to establish a comprehensive basketball ecosystem. One of the key initiatives under this collaboration is the introduction of a Junior NBA clinic, engaging 70 boys and girls. This clinic will mark the inauguration of the NBA’s fifth African office in Nairobi.
NBA is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams; 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada- the Toronto Raptors.
It is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered the premier professional basketball league in the world.
The NBA’s regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The league’s playoff tournament extends into June.
As of 2020, NBA players are the world’s best-paid athletes by average annual salary per player.
