NBA POWER

NBA Fans of Every Team Now Have NBA App For Everyday Action

• Ndokwa Reporters
• 29 September 2022
• News, Sports

new National Basketball Association, NBA App and digital platform

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Built in partnership with Microsoft, the NBA’s official cloud and AI partner powered by NBA’s new integrated digital platform

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

CAPE TOWN/South Africa: “Launching our new National Basketball Association, NBA App and digital platform is a major milestone as we continue to build and strengthen our direct-to-consumer offerings,” said Chris Benyarko, NBA Executive Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer.

“We are thrilled to deliver a reimagined product that will enhance and personalize the way NBA fans engage with the league on a daily basis.”

The NBA today announced the launch of the reimagined global NBA App, the all-in-one destination for NBA fans of every team.

With entirely new personalization features, the NBA App will provide wall-to-wall content from every NBA game and feature social-style vertical video, unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to players and teams, new and existing shows and series, and access to the NBA vault for free.

The NBA App – a product of NBA Digital, the league’s joint venture with Turner Sports – is free to download. Moreover, the New NBA App to Provide Wall-to-Wall Content from Every Game with Personalized Experiences, Social-Style Vertical Video, Behind-the-Scenes Access to Players and Teams and More Powered by Microsoft.

NBA App to Go Beyond NBA Game Coverage with New and Existing Original Shows, Live Basketball from Leagues Around the World and Partner and Influencer Content.

New Global Membership Program, NBA ID, Offers Special Access to League Benefits; NBA League Pass and NBA TV Bundle Available at New Low Price. In addition, the NBA has launched NBA ID, the league’s new global membership program offering fans benefits and rewards from the league, teams and its partners.

NBA ID, which is free to join, will link a fan’s experiences across existing products like NBA League Pass and NBA Pick’Em. Throughout the season, NBA ID members will get access to new original content and fan favorites from the NBA vault.

Additionally, there will be enhanced members-only experiences from NBA partners, ticket promotions, prizes through predictive and sweepstakes-style NBA Pick’Em fantasy games, voting campaigns, and other rewards.

According to the NBA, NBA App is powered by the NBA’s new integrated digital platform, which was built in partnership with Microsoft, the NBA’s official cloud and AI partner.  The NBA App now includes a sleek new design and a first-of-its-kind “For You” experience, with content recommendations based on fan preferences and personalization powered by Microsoft Azure and Azure AI.

Within the app’s “For You” page, fans can tap into a social-like vertical video experience – with vertical scrolling – that features real-time highlights of all NBA games in progress.

Furthermore, the league’s direct-to-consumer subscription offerings – NBA League Pass and NBA TV – will be integrated into the NBA App, giving fans the ability to watch live games and highlights and check scores, statistics, and standings, all in one place.

For NBA League Pass subscribers, the live streams will feature higher video quality, lower streaming latency, and a seamless user experience for consuming live NBA content.

NBA League Pass returns this season with a new bundle at its lowest pricing ever.  For a limited time, the standard package is now available for $14.99 per month ($99.99 for the full season) and the premium package for $19.99 per month ($129.99 for the full season).  Subscribers will automatically receive the NBA TV direct-to-consumer offering as part of the new bundle.

Content highlights on the NBA App include:

Live Programming and Social-Style Content:

Gameday Experience – Fans will be immersed in game-day content all day long and, for the first time, get live access to streams of all pregame and postgame NBA press conferences and media days from every major event.

In addition, NBA ID members will have access to teams’ pregame shows for NBA League Pass games.

Lifestyle – Social-style content series looking at the lifestyle, culture, fashion, music, and more around the game and off the court, including NBA Kicks, NBA Fits, Jersey Drop, Ride Along, Celebrity Row, and NBA Ink, among others.

“CrunchTime” – A free weekly whiparound show taking fans live to crucial moments of each game and providing real-time updates and analysis, produced by NBA TV and hosted by Jared Greenberg.

“NBABet stream” – A weekly stream produced by NBA TV with betting expert Tim Doyle and a selection of top contributors to provide the latest betting information during live game coverage.

Live NBA League Pass Programming.

In addition to 24/7 NBA TV programming and out-of-market live games, NBA League Pass subscribers will have access to expanded options for personalized viewing experiences through a wide variety of alternate streams, including additional camera angles, betting-focused streams, influencer-led and analytics-driven options, and in-language feeds with commentary in three languages (Spanish, Portuguese and Korean).

“NBA HooperVision” returns for its second season with former NBA players and hosts Nate Robinson and Quentin Richardson.

External Content Contributors:

All-Access Directly from Teams – Behind-the-scenes storytelling from teams’ social and digital channels.

Partner Content – Content produced by popular basketball and sports-highlight creators, including Turner Sports, featuring content from the hosts of “Inside the NBA”, Grant Hill, and Greg Anthony, as well as FanDuel, DraftKings, Action Network, Bleacher Report, and more.

Influencers – Influencer-created content from popular creators including Thinking Basketball’s Ben Taylor, Jesser, Kris London, Lethal Shooter, Devin Williams, Tristan Jass, and more focused on fashion, lifestyle, and NBA culture both on and off the court.

Exclusive Original Programming:

“Gold Blooded” – A new seven-episode docuseries telling the story of the Golden State Warriors’ journey to the 2022 NBA championship.  Narrated by Andre Iguodala, the series features never-before-seen footage and new interviews with team executives and players, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

The first episode is available on the NBA App today.

“Pass the Rock” – Fans will get an exclusive look at the league’s next generation of stars and their lives on and off the court throughout the 2022-23 season.  The multi-part series is slated to begin in late November.

“Inside the App” – An exclusive weekly segment from TNT’s “Inside the NBA” team that will spotlight the hottest storylines and most topical events from around the league.

“NBA Real Training Camp” with the Philadelphia Sixers (October 29) and Dallas Mavericks (October 30) – A special all-access show produced by NBA TV during the opening week of preseason providing exclusive look-ins at the teams’ practices and interviews with players, coaches and front office personnel.

Archived Games – Fans will have access to archival footage from the NBA vault, including 500 of the best classic games in NBA history.  Every NBA Finals game since 2000 will also be available, with more Finals and popular games being released throughout the season.

Archived Series – Documentaries and all-access series from NBA Entertainment’s archives will be available on-demand, including “Dream Team”, “The Doctor”, “Wilt 100”, “The Association”, “Unscripted”, “Inside Stuff” and more.

NBA’s International Games – The NBA App will be the go-to destination for fans to engage with and watch The NBA Japan Games 2022 Presented by Rakuten & Nissan (Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards on Friday, Sept. 30 at 6 a.m. ET and Sunday, Oct. 2 at 1 a.m. ET) and The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 (Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Oct. 6 at noon ET and Saturday, Oct. 8 at noon ET).

“Hoop Cities” – An eight-part, in-language docuseries produced by the NBA’s Europe and Middle East team that explores the local culture, history, and basketball communities surrounding the game throughout the following European cities: Belgrade (Serbia), Bologna (Italy), Cologne & Leverkusen (Germany), Istanbul (Turkey), Kaunas (Lithuania), Paris (France), Seville (Spain) and Thessaloniki (Greece).

The NBA added that additional content series and other enhanced features on the NBA App will be announced throughout the season.

The league is composed of 30 teams, 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada, and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. It is the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. And the NBA’s regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games.

The league’s playoff tournament extends into June. And as of 2020, NBA players are the world’s best-paid athletes by average annual salary per player.

YOUTH POWER

 Politics & Economy

“Mission55 Conflict in Anaka” Game Seeks To Power Up The Youth

The game, which the AU and GIZ developed, aims to raise awareness, educate and inform the public, particularly youth, on the mandate of the AU to promote good governance, peace and security in Africa.

by Thandisizwe Mgudlwa September 25, 2022 SISI AFRIKA MAGAZINE

 

CAPE TOWN, South Africa

This week the African Union (AU) Youth for Peace Africa Programme, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) launched a serious game known as “Mission55 Conflict in Anaka”, to commemorate the International Day of Peace (Peace Day) 2022. The game, which the AU and GIZ developed, aims to raise awareness, educate and inform the public, particularly youth, on the mandate of the AU to promote good governance, peace and security in Africa. Moreover, the launch exposes participants to the African Governance Architecture (AGA), the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) tools used to prevent, manage and mitigate conflicts. It also aims to enhance the agency of PeaceBuilders within their communities.

And speaking at the opening ceremony, Patience Chiradza, Director for Governance and Conflict Prevention, on behalf of Amb. Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, lauded the AU-GIZ-UN partnership. She called on African youth to continue to leverage new technologies in deepening their knowledge and understanding toward meaningfully contributing to sustainable peace in Africa.

Chiradza underlined the significant contributions of the African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAPs) in advancing the implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda in close collaboration with the AU Member States, particularly the Peace and Security Council., “The adoption of the Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security and its 10-Year Implementation Plan in 2020 is a key milestone,” concluded Chiradza. On his part, Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of UNOAU, reiterated the UN’s commitment to promote human dignity, end racism and build peace, in line with the Peace Day 2022 theme and the Joint AU-UN Framework for an Enhanced Partnership. Onanga-Anyanga stated that education is critical in promoting harmony in our communities and applauded the use of technological innovations for inclusivity in peacebuilding.

According to Stephan Auer, German Ambassador to Ethiopia, “This game will reinforce outreach efforts as youth can now connect through smartphones and be more aware of the work of the African Union in crisis prevention, conflict management and peacebuilding”. And following the launch, the AYAPs convened a Youth General Assembly to update young people on the status of the implementation of the youth, peace and security agenda in Africa. These activities to mark Peace Day 2022 at the AU Headquarters brought together representatives from the AU and partner organizations, AYAPs, and other young people from across the continent, including digital media practitioners and social media influencers.  To learn more, the game can be downloaded at Mission 55 Games.

SCHOOL FAN POWER

 

Editor's Pick Education National

SADTU’s ‘I am a school fan’ campaign mobilizes stakeholders to protect SA schools

July 28, 2022

 

Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

 

KASI VOICE NEWS

 

 

 

 

UNICEF joined the South African education stakeholders to look, pump up society and rallied it to action over the protection of schools.

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU), which happens to be the biggest union in the education and public service sector, in collaboration with the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) and UNICEF South Africa, are on a campaign to protect schools’ infrastructure.

This collaboration stems from Sadtu’s ‘I am a school fan’ campaign intended to mobilise all stakeholders that includes learners, parents, teachers, community members, relevant government departments, faith-based organisations, and the private sector to play a decisive role towards ensuring that schools are safe.

Moreover, the July 2021 “riots” and the recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal further illuminated the infrastructure challenges in our schools.

YOUTH POWER

Leveraging the Power of the Youth

By THANDISIZWE MGUDLWA

- NEWS GHANA

June 17, 2022

youth

CAPE TOWN: “It is our view that the youth will be the catalytic force to the realization of the continental agenda. This asset in our hands is perhaps the greatest resource, an asset much more valuable than all the oil and mineral resources. The African youth are beginning to make significant contributions to economic transformation across the continent.”

These words were made by Prof. Benedict Okechukwu Oramah, President and Chairman of Afreximbank, during his opening remarks at the 29th Annual Meetings of Afreximbank recently.

Prof. Oramah has made a strong case for the role of the youth in Africa’s developmental future, emphasizing that industrial revolutions seen in other countries were largely attributed to a young and capable workforce; a young and capable workforce is representative of Africa’s workforce today.

Recent developments and research show that Africa represents one of the highest potential markets for growth with significant natural and human capital resources untapped.

Diverse and rich with opportunities, the continent is home to a number of growing markets spanning natural and mineral resources, construction, infrastructure, forestry, agriculture, tourism and cultural sectors.

However, it is the continent’s human capital and digital technology potential that offers the solution to unlocking a new era of intra-African trade and growth.

Following the formation of the Organization of African Unity in 1963, now the African Union (AU), established with a vision for an Africa that was united, free and in control of its own destiny, countries across the continent have been progressively improving intra-African trade and commerce, recognizing the role cross-border business and continental cooperation will play in driving sustainable socioeconomic growth in Africa.

To further incentivize trade, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) was implemented in January 2021, the premise of which was to form the world’s largest free trade area by connecting the over 1.3 billion people across 54 African countries.

And the AfCFTA marked a historic moment for the continent, signaling a new era of simplified trade in Africa.

However, despite its implementation, an article by the Economist of London stated that adoption and leveraging of the AfCFTA has been slow, and “in practice, no trade has happened under its terms because of continued political wrangling.

“Africa’s leaders risk squandering the promise of freer trade.” says Prof. Oramah.

He contended that, “While the Economist was right with regards to the facts set out in their article, the conclusions are wrong because the facts in the article are symptoms of a major problem the article did not explore. We cannot reverse the symptoms without confronting the problem.”

According to Prof. Oramah, it is necessary to explore the roots of the problem rather than simply criticize modern state of affairs, while driving the adoption and capitalization of growth-oriented agreements such as the AfCFTA.

Specifically, in order to accelerate intra-African trade and commerce, the continent should turn towards its own resources, driving investment and development by leveraging Africa’s human capital and technological potential.

“While the problem was identified decades ago, it is only now that Africa can boast of possessing a combination of factors that can resolve it. These consist of visionary and committed leadership, the youth, and digital technology. Our leadership has done the courageous work of giving us the AfCFTA. A lot now hinges on our Youth. It is for this reason that Afreximbank dedicated this year’s Annual Meeting to the theme, “Realizing the AfCFTA Potential in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Leveraging the Power of The Youth,” Prof. Oramah continued.

As Africa’s diverse markets witness heightened investment and development in a post-COVID-19 context, trade will be critical for ensuring continental, rather than isolated, socio-economic development. The youth’s role in this development is clear and by investing in the continent’s human capital development, Africa will be able to reap the rewards of a strong and growth-focused economy.

“The African Energy Chamber (AEC) is not only an advocate for the development of the continent’s natural resources but of its human capital resources. Africa’s population represents the youngest, the fastest growing and arguably the most determined. It is time for us to position the youth at the forefront of the continent’s development, and only then will we be able to witness unprecedented growth. During the continent’s premier energy event, African Energy Week 2022, discussions will center around the youth, the role of women in Africa’s energy future and strategies for enhancing intra-African trade and business,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC.

Prof. Oramah concluded, “Sprouting everywhere in a fragmented continent, the African youth are poised to make giant strides in a single continental market and could seamlessly become the drivers of Africa’s integration and intra-African trade. Policies that give them intellectual property protection, ease the cost of doing business as well as improve access to the single African market will unleash their entrepreneurial drive. A vibrant single market will open a new vista of opportunities that will broaden the choices available to the youth and empower them to reach their potential.”

YOUTH SKILLS

 

World Youth Skills Day 2022 promotes TVET as a Solution

“Young people are drivers of change and must be fully engaged in decisions affecting their future. Guided by the United Nations Youth 2030 strategy, I urge everyone to act for youth skills development as a priority, at the Summit and beyond.”  UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

by Thandisizwe Mgudlwa July 19, 2022

“Young people are drivers of change and must be fully engaged in decisions affecting their future. Guided by the United Nations Youth 2030 strategy, I urge everyone to act for youth skills development as a priority, at the Summit and beyond.”  UN Secretary-General António
Guterres.

The UN Chief made these words on Friday, July 15, 2022 during the World Youth Skills Day celebrations.

In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 15 as World Youth Skills Day.

The idea behind this move is to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.

And since then, World Youth Skills Day has provided a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, firms, employers’ and workers’ organizations, policy-makers and development partners.

World Youth Skills Day 2022 took place amid concerted efforts towards socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that are interconnected with challenges such as climate change, conflict, persisting poverty, rising inequality, rapid technological change, demographic transition among others.

Research shows that young women and girls, young persons with disabilities, youth from poorer households, rural communities, indigenous peoples, and minority groups, as well as those who suffer the consequences of violent conflict and political instability, continue to be excluded due to a combination of factors.

In addition, the crisis has accelerated several transitions the world of work was already undergoing, which add layers of uncertainty regarding the skills and competencies that will be in demand after the pandemic is overcome.

TVET is well placed to help address these challenges by reducing access barriers to the world of work, ensuring that skills gained are recognized and certified, and offering skills development
opportunities for out-of-school youth and those not in employment, education or training (NEET).

Experts have declared that during this Decade of Action for the 2030 Agenda, the full engagement of young people in global processes is vital to generate positive change and innovation.

The celebrations of World Youth Skills Day 2022 highlighted the ongoing focus on the Transforming Education Summit (September 2022), and contributed to the work being done under its Thematic Action Track “Learning and skills for life, work, and sustainable development”. The summit is a youth-inspired global event of major importance for the future of millions of young people; it is prepared by, with and for youth.

The “Transforming youth skills for the future” global event was co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Portugal and Sri Lanka to the United Nations, together with UNESCO, ILO and the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. It brought together youth, governments, UN agencies, private sector and civil society representatives to analyse the impact of current crises on youth
across the world, and discussed how young people can quickly adapt to the demands of an ever-changing world.

Moreover, organisers state, the growing youth population, rising unemployment in many countries, changes in the labour market and in our economy due to technological developments are just some of the reasons why we must provide future generations with the entrepreneurial skills and mindsets they need to cope with a changing world.

And to help technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions form the entrepreneurial values that are important for young people’s lives, economic development and a sustainable society, UNESCO–UNEVOC has developed a practical guide on how to introduce
entrepreneurial learning where it is lacking, and how to mainstream it in vocational training.

To the question of: What role do technical and vocational education and training play? The overwhelming response from experts and industry leaders is that, education and training are central to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.

And the vision of the Incheon Declaration: Education 2030 is fully captured by Sustainable Development Goal 4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all”.

They add that, Education 2030 devotes considerable attention to technical and vocational skills development, specifically regarding access to affordable quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); the acquisition of technical and vocational skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship; the elimination of gender disparity and ensuring access for the vulnerable.

In this context, TVET is expected to address the multiple demands of an economic, social and environmental nature by helping youth and adults develop the skills they need for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship, promoting equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and supporting transitions to green economies and environmental sustainability, the experts emphasize.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

KFC Africa & Serge Ibaka to Empower Youth through Basketball & investing in Africa’s community courts

By Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

Pan African Visions

The average age in Africa is 19 and sport, specifically basketball, is a passion point for more than 100 million fans across the continent. In recent years we have seen the number of African players rising on the international circuit, providing inspiration and impetus for many young people dreaming of becoming the next global basketball all-star, so says Emmanuel Kasambala, KFC Marketing Director, Rest of Sub-Saharan Africa.

“For us it’s about developing our home continent’s youth – giving them the facilities and safe spaces to use their talents and grow their skills. It is for this reason that we are refurbishing and building
basketball courts within communities in key markets.”

KFC Africa, the most loved fast-food brand in 23 markets across the continent, is partnering with Serge Ibaka, of the Milwaukee Bucks, to enable and uplift the continent’s youth and communities, whilst growing grass-roots basketball.

Following on from KFC Africa’s announcement about its partnership with NBA Africa, the brand has even bigger plans for the game.

The first of these basketball courts was recently built and donated in Kenya, as a result of a partnership between KFC and the Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF).

Moreover, this was initiated under the Bakee Mtaani (‘basketball in the hood’) initiative, at the Humama Public Grounds in Kayole Community, and also sees youth within the community benefitting from basketball equipment and coaching programmes at the new court.

In addition to this, a significantly positive spin-off was that the construction of the court resulted in jobs for more than 50 skilled and unskilled youths.

And with regards to the courts initiative specifically, this is just the beginning – ambitious plans are underway for another 11 courts in Kenya in coming months, as well as additional projects in other
markets including Botswana, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania among others.

“We are also extremely excited about our epic collab with Serge Ibaka – an African basketball legend – to further highlight the strength and potential of the game. It goes without saying that Serge is a true inspiration to our youth, and by joining forces, we accelerate growth and development for the stars of the future.”

Born in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, Serge is a three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection and has twice led the league in blocks. In 2019, he won his first NBA championship as a key member of the Toronto Raptors.

Adding to these impressive basketball credentials, Serge is also personally invested in uplifting and developing the youth, through his own Serge Ibaka Foundation, that focuses on issues of children’s
health and education, and the Serge Ibaka Dreams Academy, that focuses on giving back through basketball.

In adding his perspective, Serge Ibaka says, “The talent that Africa is producing is just amazing and my goal is to inspire them and to contribute to ensure that the next generation is given every
opportunity to shine in the game I love. I am very proud to be able to partner with KFC Africa to give more back to my home continent. Having basketball courts in their local communities, close to young players, is a huge advantage in helping them to develop their basketball and life skills.”

KFC Africa believes in fueling the passion-points of the young, and young at heart, by connecting at the touch-points that mean something across its markets.

Kasambala concluded, “With Serge being such an icon in the game, it made perfect sense for us to take up the opportunity to partner with him to bring our brand’s support of basketball to life. Additionally, it is through initiatives like this that KFC Africa aims to see more young players from Africa level up both on and off the court, whilst creating a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

INSIDE STUFF 4 YOUTH

NBA Africa and Royal Bafokeng Nation Expand Long-Term Youth Development Partnership in South Africa

6 months ago TOPAFRICANEWS

NBA Africa and the Royal Bafokeng Nation, through its sports development arm Royal Bafokeng Sports (RBS), announced an expansion of their youth development partnership

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 24, 2022/ — 12th year of Royal Bafokeng jr. NBA (www.NBA.com) programme will reach more than 20,000 boys and girls from 44 schools across the Royal Bafokeng Nation and Greater Rustenburg region; Programme has reached more than 100,000 youth since 2011 through basketball development and youth engagement initiatives. NBA Africa and the Royal Bafokeng Nation, through its sports development arm Royal Bafokeng Sports (RBS), today announced an expansion of their long-term youth development partnership.  The expanded partnership will see the 12th year of the Royal Bafokeng Jr. NBA Programme reach more than 20,000 boys and girls from 44 schools across the Royal Bafokeng Nation and Greater Rustenburg Region in South Africa. The Royal Bafokeng Jr. NBA Programme, which launched in 2011 with 36 boys and girls teams from 18 middle and high schools across all five regions of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, has reached more than 100,000 youth over the past 12 years through basketball development and youth engagement initiatives.  The programme features a youth basketball league for boys and girls in primary and high schools, elite development camps for the top 50 boys and girls in the programme, monthly clinics and camps, coaching clinics and certification programmes, and basketball court refurbishments. “Basketball has been much more than a sport among the Bafokeng youth,” said Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi, the 36th king of the Royal Bafokeng Nation.  “Through the support of the NBA and RBS, the programme has helped develop and inspire top athletes and coaching staffs, create educational opportunities, and grow the sport not only for the RBN community, but across the continent.  The RBN welcomes the continued partnership and success with the NBA.” “Launched more than 10 years ago, the Royal Bafokeng Jr. NBA Programme was the NBA’s first youth development programme on the continent,” said NBA Africa CEO Victor Williams.  “We are excited to expand our partnership with RBS and look forward to continuing to use the transformative power of basketball to inspire more boys and girls in the North West Province in the years to come.” The Royal Bafokeng Jr. NBA Programme is the league’s largest Jr. NBA programme in Africa and has achieved a number of milestones since its launch in 2011.  More than 120 youth and 15 coaches from the programme have represented the North West Province in national tournaments.  Six girls and two boys went on to represent South Africa in international tournaments at the youth and senior levels, and two girls and two coaches participated in the Jr. NBA Global Championships in Orlando, Fla., in 2018 and 2019.  In addition, more than 100 former participants have gone on to study at universities and colleges in South Africa, with two alumni receiving full scholarships to high schools and universities in the United States. In August 2017, the programme hosted the first Jr. NBA Africa Festival, which featured Jr. NBA teams from Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Zimbabwe competing against one another and participating in life-skills programming in the lead-up to the NBA Africa Game 2017.  That same year, the programme was recognised with the Development Programme of the Year Award at the Sport Industry Awards in South Africa. The Royal Bafokeng Nation has an ambitious and aggressive strategy over the next few years to place sports, education, and elite sporting academies at the forefront of the Nation’s vision of diversification, sustainability and social cohesion, which the NBA and RBS play a critical role in delivering. The NBA has a long history in Africa and opened its African headquarters in Johannesburg in 2010.  Since then, the league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through social responsibility, grassroots and elite development, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, the launch of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and more.  The BAL’s second season tipped off earlier this month in Dakar, Senegal.  South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers will make their BAL debut during the league’s Nile Conference group phase at Hassan Mostafa Indoor Sports Complex in Cairo, Egypt, from April 9-19.