NBA - The African Mirror

May

2021

J. Cole set for pro basketball debut in Rwanda

BOITUMELO RANTAO AMERICAN rapper Jermaine Cole (known as J.Cole) has been added to the BBC Patriots (Rwanda) roster for the upcoming Basketball Africa League (BAL). He was photographed training with the Patriots ahead of the team’s first game. Cole has been seen on social media training with National Basketball Association (NBA) trainers synonymous with superstars such as Carmelo Anthony and CJ McCollum from the Portland Trailblazers. Speculations had surfaced that Cole, who previously played basketball before his rap career, was training to become an NBA player. The rapper has previously told rap legend Master P of his attempt to play…

Apr

2021

By The African Mirror

See LeBron James in ‘Space Jam 2’

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER SPACE Jam is back twenty-five years later, this time with a new NBA superstar. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James shared the official trailer of the sequel on Twitter, which he is starring in as the main character. James will be joined by Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang in his first major starring role for ‘Space Jam 2: A New Legacy’. In the sequel, LeBron James plays a heightened version of himself who struggles to form a close bond with his son named Don, who dreams of being a videogame developer. Joining…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

All set for Basketball Africa League kick-off

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO THE inaugural edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) will take place from May 16-30 in Kigali, Rwanda. BAL was initially set to start in March 2020, yet was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league will carry on with BAL implementing health and safety protocols in line with the World Health Organization and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. BAL is the NBA’s first partnership with another organization to organize a basketball league outside North America. The league announced an adjusted schedule for the inaugural edition of the competition - with 26 games all…

Mar

2021

By The African Mirror

Mismanagement crippled SA basketball

SPORT

LEE NXUMALO BASKETBALL, once the fastest-growing sport in South Africa, now hardly has recognisable leagues or talents. A group of campaigners have come together to get it thriving and growing again. He increased popularity of the National Basketball Association (NBA) on the global front and the presence of African-born players in the league has given basketball cultural currency among the continent’s youth. Even though basketball had a presence in South Africa since apartheid, its popularity reached its peak only in the late 1990s. At one point, it was considered the fastest-growing sport in the country and on track to becoming…

Dec

2020

By The African Mirror

Africa’s bright basketball showcase

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO BASKETBALL’S eyes shifted to Africa as national teams gathered in Kigali, Rwanda for the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers. The first phase of continental competition between Africa’s hopefuls gave a sneak peek to which teams have distinguished themselves as frontrunners for the title. Nigeria’s head coach, Mike Brown is of the opinion that if the right things are put in place by African basketball federations, many teams can compete favourably with the best in the world. Teams have commenced preparations for the third window of the qualifiers between February 19 - 21, 2021. Brown, who is on his maiden…

Nov

2020

By The African Mirror

Record 8 Nigerian players picked in historic 2020 NBA Draft

SPORT, BASKETBALL

BOITUMELO RANTAO Nigeria emerged as the winners on a historic night that saw eight of their players, two born in the country and six of Nigerian heritage, drafted into the NBA. https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1329316899981840385 Isaac Okoro who was born in the USA to Nigerian parents became the highest drafted player with Nigerian roots, drafted fifth by the Cleveland Cavaliers, since Michael Olowokandi was drafted number one overall by the LA Clippers in 1998. “It feels great to be the first Nigerian in this draft to be drafted. It’s also just a blessing. My mom always tells me to keep that Nigerian pride,”…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

NBA ready to resume games after players’ racial injustice boycott

SPORT

FRANK PINGUE and AMY TENNERY THE National Basketball Association (NBA) said on Thursday it hopes to resume play in a day or two after a boycott by players protesting racial injustice and police brutality, while President Donald Trump denounced the league. NBA Executive Vice President Mike Bass said the league is "hopeful" it will resume games Friday or Saturday after the protest, which was sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and led to game cancellations in other sports as well. The NBA players, a majority of whom are Black, decided not to…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

NBA postpones games after Bucks boycott, other sports follow suit

SPORT

RORY CARROLL and FRANK PINGUE THE National Basketball Association (NBA) has postponed all three playoff games after the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their series against the Orlando Magic to protest racial injustice, triggering similar moves across other sports. The action by the Wisconsin-based team follows the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the city of Kenosha, also in Wisconsin, on Sunday. Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the Women's NBA also postponed games, while two-times tennis Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka joined the protests by pulling out of a tournament after reaching the semi-finals.…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

New boss for basketball in Africa

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO THE world’s leading basketball league, National Basketball Association (NBA), has announced Victor Williams as the new CEO of NBA Africa. Williams, fulfilling a newly created role, will oversee and be responsible for growing the NBA business and basketball development initiatives in Africa. This was announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver who praised Williams as an accomplished investment banker with extensive experience growing businesses across the U.S. and Africa. "Adding an executive of Victor’s calibre and experience is an important step in our continued efforts to grow basketball across the continent,” said Silver. "We look forward to Victor leading…

Jul

2020

By BOITUMELO RANTAO

Lakers win the battle on opening night

SPORT

TWO dominant forces from Los Angeles ended the return of NBA last night in Orlando, Florida in high gear, with the Los Angeles Lakers triumphing over the Los Angeles Clippers 103 – 101. Star power forward Anthony Davis scored 34 points and collected 8 rebounds on route to victory for the LA Lakers. Prior to the game, Players, coaches, and staff took a silent stand against racial injustice in the United States of America by kneeling together during the American national anthem. Basketball fans have had to wait months for competitive basketball to return and the first night did not…