African players - The African Mirror

Apr

2024

Petro de Luanda fires head coach Jose Neto, African players continue to shine at the annual Nike Hoop Summit, and Rwandese national Bella Murekatete is named to the 2024 Women’s College All-Star game

AFTER disappointing results in the conference stage of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Angolan side Petro de Luanda have fired head coach Jose Neto. The Brazilian head coach has been with Petro for four seasons and is a former BAL Coach of the Year. However, he experienced tensions with Petro de Luanda’s front office and multiple players on the squad leading up to their most recent outing in the Kalahari Conference. While the decision to part ways with Neto may have surprised some fans, the latest outcome following a fourth-place finish in the 2023 season and a second-place finish in…

Oct

2023

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

15 African players in the 2023/24 NBA

BASKETBALL

THE 2023/24 NBA season will feature 15 basketball players hailing from Africa, once again underscoring the continent's prominent presence in the global basketball arena. This season's rosters, recently unveiled by the NBA, reveal Nigeria leading the way, with a total of five of its citizens making the cut. In addition, Cameroon boasts three players, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has two. Angola, Mali, Senegal, South Sudan, and Sudan are each represented by a single player. Moreover, the press statement accompanying the announcement of international players featured in the upcoming season emphasizes a broader connection to Africa. The…

Jul

2023

By LORI EWING

Drogba teams up with FIFPRO, ILO to educate African players about fake agents

FOOTBALL

FORMER Chelsea striker Didier Drogba says soccer players in Africa too often fall prey to fake agents peddling promises of fame and fortune. Through his foundation, Drogba has teamed up with the global soccer players union FIFPRO and the International Labour Organisation to raise awareness about the risks. "Please, I need you to hear this," former Ivory Coast international Drogba says in an animated campaign video to players. "Be very careful who you trust. Never trust the person who wants your money." FIFPRO recently surveyed 263 players from seven African countries and found that more than 70% were contacted unsolicited…

Dec

2022

By The African Mirror

6 moments in African football in 2022 that will be talked about for years to come

SPORT

2022 was a significant year for African football. It was a benchmark for the women’s game and a year that may mark the first real move into African football as a business rather than football as development. It ended with some thrilling matches at the men’s World Cup in Qatar, proving the real progress made by teams from African countries. The first full year of a return to the sport after the COVID pandemic, 2022 has shown that the African game is able to grow and claim its own space in world football beyond the headlines generated by star African…