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The NBA has closed NBA Academy Africa, its elite training academy in Senegal, nearly eight years after it opened in 2018. The league says the move reflects a shift in its global development strategy, with training planned for a new academy in Abu Dhabi. Former staff warn that losing the continent-based program could weaken a pathway for young African players; the available reporting does not establish what the closure will mean for future access or development.
Why did the NBA close its Africa academy?
The NBA told Reuters that the closure reflects a change in its global basketball development strategy. The league said training would be run from a new global academy planned for Abu Dhabi. Reuters did not report an opening date, so the Abu Dhabi academy should be understood as a plan, not an operating replacement.
NBA Academy Africa was the league’s first such facility in Africa and its only elite training academy on the continent. It opened in Senegal in 2018. The NBA’s senior vice president Troy Justice said the league was proud of the academy’s impact and remained committed to developing African players, according to the statement cited by Reuters on October 2, 2026.
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The central question is whether a single global training location can serve young players as effectively as an academy based in Africa. The NBA argues that concentrating players at one site will give them greater exposure to professional coaches and scouts. Former staff emphasize the value of dedicated support close to home: former performance and lifestyle adviser Michel Chikwanine said students were discouraged by the closure and that African prospects often need specific support.
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These are competing assessments, not measured outcomes. The report provides no independent impact study or comparative data showing how the closure will affect participation, access, or player development. It also does not detail how many students were enrolled at the time of closure or what arrangements were made for them.
| Consideration | Continent-based academy | Planned Abu Dhabi academy |
|---|---|---|
| Access and geography | Located in Senegal, on the continent it served. | Would centralize training in Abu Dhabi; access arrangements are not stated in the Reuters report. |
| Support model | Former staff valued the academy’s specific support for young African prospects. The report does not fully detail its services. | The NBA described a global training site; comparable residential, academic, or personal support is not stated. |
| Scouting exposure | The report does not quantify exposure at the Senegal academy. | The NBA says centralization would provide greater exposure to professional coaches and scouts. |
| Continuity for current students | The academy is closed. | The new academy is planned, but the report gives no opening date or transition details. |
The NBA also cited the Basketball Africa League and Basketball Without Borders as continuing initiatives. Reuters reported that the Basketball Africa League had completed six seasons and that Basketball Without Borders runs youth camps worldwide, including in Africa. The report does not establish that either program provides the same residential, academic, or personal support model as NBA Academy Africa.
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Which NBA Academy Africa graduates reached the NBA?
Former head of academic planning Michael Abbott told Reuters that about 110 students had attended the academy since it launched. Reuters reported that many went on to elite schools and U.S. universities. Two cited former students were later drafted into the NBA:
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- Khaman Maluach: The South Sudanese former student was selected 10th overall in the 2025 NBA draft.
These are alumni outcomes, not evidence that the academy alone caused either player’s success. The report does not provide a complete alumni record or a success rate.
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What the closure does—and does not—mean
The closure ends the NBA’s sole elite training academy on the African continent, but it does not by itself establish that the league is withdrawing from Africa. The NBA says its other initiatives will continue. At the same time, the available account does not show that those programs replace the academy’s particular combination of training and support, or settle the disagreement over what young players will lose.
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