WINDHOEK, March 4 (Xinhua) -- President of the Namibia Basketball Federation (NBF) Andrew Masongo said Monday that Namibia could form a club to represent the country at the new look Basketball Africa League (BAL).
The BAL is one of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s most ambitious projects in years. The NBA will partner with the Federation International Basketball Association (FIBA), to form the 12-team league, which is expected open in January 2020.
There will be qualifying tournaments held to determine which teams make the league with the nations of Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia likely to be represented.
Former U.S. president Barack Obama, a basketball fan, is expected to have direct involvement with the league, although his role is yet to be defined.
Masango said that the BAL will boost the growth of basketball in Namibia, which is lack of sponsors and interests from the general public.
Currently, Namibia's only competitive basketball league is the Khomas Basketball Association (KAB) that comprises 18 teams, including four female clubs.
"What we (NBF) want to do is to create a business approach by partnering with stakeholders, to create a business wing to make basketball sustainable and at the same time creating employment in line with governments," Masongo said.
