The sixth edition of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is taking shape, with almost a month into the qualifying round to the showpiece the Road to BAL.
As the action gets going, the number of former BAL players present at the qualifiers has reached a record high. These include some players who have won the BAL before and their counterparts who have not won yet but made a good impact at the tournaments on various occasions.
With the Road to BAL underway in Praia, Cape Verde, for the West Division Elite 16, here are some players hoping to make a return to the final tournament:
Solo Diabate
Solo Diabate, one of only two players in the league's history alongside Michael Fakuade to win two BAL titles, has not missed a season since the league's inception in 2021.
A BAL champion with Zamalek and US Monastir, and a runner-up with Al Ahly Benghazi and Petro de Luanda, Diabate also has a storied Road to BAL career. He featured for Tanzanian side Dar City last month.
Youssoupha Ndoye
The Senegal international was instrumental in APR's third-place finish in the 2025 BAL season. Named in both the 2025 All-BAL Second Team and the BAL All-Defensive Team, the center averaged 12.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
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He has recently signed with Tanzanian side Dar City, who secured a place in the East Division Elite 16 after achieving complete domination in Group D.
Ivan Almeida
Like Ndoye, the star guard was named in the 2025 All-BAL Second Team.
Almeida played a huge role in helping the relatively unknown Kriol Stars reach the 2025 BAL playoffs and was a last-minute addition to the team as they vie for a consecutive BAL appearance.
Mohamed Sadi
The Libyan international first appeared in the Road to BAL in 2019, playing for the local team Al Naser. He made his BAL debut playing for Senegal’s AS Douanes in 2021, but he did not find success until 2025 when he helped his childhood club, Al Ahly Tripoli, win the league title.
He was named in the 2025 All-BAL Second Team and the league’s All-Defensive Team.’
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Last month, he featured for Al Ahly Benghazi in Group B of the Road to BAL in Bamako, where they finished with a perfect 3–0 record.
Jonathan Jordan
After making a name for himself in BAL arenas with his jaw-dropping dunks and unique athleticism for a relatively short player, Jordan — who inspired Moroccan side FUS Rabat to two consecutive BAL appearances — has now joined Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya.
Raphiael Putney
Playing in the Road to BAL is nothing new for Putney, who played for the former South African champions, the Cape Town Tigers.
Before setting a Road to BAL scoring record with 52 points in a 102–50 victory against Djabal last month, Putney played a key role in helping the Nigerian team Rivers Hoopers reach the quarter-finals in the 2025 BAL season.
Pieter Prinsloo
South African international Pietr Prinsloo has recently become one of the most familiar faces in the league. The 6-foot-10 power forward has made three consecutive appearances in the BAL, having played for the Cape Town Tigers in 2022 and 2023, before joining MBB in 2025.
Last month, Prinsloo was one of the key players in the undefeated Johannesburg Giants team.
Other players who have made an impression in the league include Ayad Mungwambe, who has participated in the BAL twice; Samba Fall; Mahamane Coulibaly, who put in a splendid performance for Stade Malien last season; and Ulrich Kra, who played for ABC Fighters in the 2023 BAL season.
However, the list of players with BAL experience is growing as teams continue their recruitment drive.