The 21st edition of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa started on Saturday, August 23, in Kigali, with, among other calls, the need for women to engage more in basketball. The camp has attracted 60 male and female high-school-age prospects from 21 African countries to learn more from NBA and WNBA players and coaches. ALSO READ: Ex-NBA stars coming to Kigali to coach top talents at BWB camp Participants at the camp include four Rwandan players Liliane Ingabire, Plamedie Bizimana Kayira, Sean Mwesigwa and Gabriel Ndoba Mwiba. ALSO READ: Four Rwandan youngsters selected for Basketball Without Borders Top instructors set to lead sessions at the camp include NBA ex-stars Tamika Catchings, former NBA standouts Kerry Kittles and Marvin Williams, along with Charlotte Hornets head coach Charles Lee, Indiana Pacers assistant Lloyd Pierce, and Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori. Speaking in an interview at the opening of the camp, NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi, said the BWB Africa camp is an opportunity to show young women that there is a place for them in the game of basketball. “Because, even though sports is generally a male dominated sector, more girls are finding very interesting careers in basketball and sports in general. And programs like BWB are a way to showcase to the girls that they too can play the game of basketball. And they play in their own way,” she said. “So, the many women coaches that we have in the basketball are coaching both men and women. So, I believe that the coaches have an important, vital role in indicating and showcasing to the girls that they can do it. And I think hearing some of the instructions from coaches that are women is an easier way to even understand that concept of women playing the game of basketball, she added. “We encourage more women coaches to participate, and we encourage many girls to also look at those coaches as part of the inspiration and mentors they can have for themselves.” Michael Finley, the head of NBA Kenya as office’s Senior Director and Country Operations, emphasized that the camp is a great opportunity to bring young players outside of their environment to travel so that they feel like professionals wherever they go so that they see and experience the game at the highest level. “One of the outcomes of BWB Africa has been that literally several hundred young men and women have gone on to play in the NCAA, have gone on to play in college, have gone on to play in professional leagues across Europe, Finley said. So, this is the premier platform to expose the top talent, basketball talent in Africa. I think BWB has proven to be that, and we hope to continue to grow it and create more opportunities for more young African players. ALSO READ: Rwanda to host Basketball Without Borders camp 2025 Beyond skill training, scrimmages and contests, players will have an opportunity to join leadership and life-skills workshops. Awards for MVP, sportsmanship, improvement, three-point shooting and defence will be handed out on the final day. The program also includes social impact activities: a wheelchair basketball clinic with FERWABA, outreach with Shooting Touch for elderly women, and a “Her Time to Play” leadership workshop for girls. Since its launch in 2001, BWB Africa has engaged over 4,600 athletes from 144 countries, with 142 advancing to the NBA or WNBA. Some alumni include Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, and 2025 NBA draft pick Khaman Maluach.
