The best 12 teams on the continent this year have been battling at the Prince Abdallah Al Faisal Sports Hall in Cairo, Egypt, showcasing incredible basketball skill sets on one of the biggest stages, the Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA). Amongst the players in the competition, there are some who have managed to rise to the top of the continent while juggling between the sport and other, just-as-demanding, jobs. We bring you the stories of some of the WBLA players and their lives off the basketball court. Hagar Amer - Industrial Engineering Lecturer Club - Al Ahly Sporting Club National team - Egypt. She played at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women; Amer made her senior national debut at the 2013 Women's AfroBasket in Maputo, Mozambique. The forward has played for Sporting Alexandria from the junior levels, establishing herself as a club icon. She switched to Al Ahly Sporting for this year's WBLA. Time management has been the most important thing for me as I have to juggle work, basketball and family, being a mother of two. My day begins with driving my daughter to school, I get back to the court for an hour-long practice before heading out to work, (at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport where she is a teaching assistant at the Industrial Engineering Department). After work I'll pick her (daughter) up, before heading out to team practice in the evening. I'm also studying to earn my PhD. Every minute is crucial for me. However, if you want something you have to be dedicated, disciplined and everything will fall in place, It is important to have a support system, and my husband has been mine. Tamandani Mazulu - Finance Administrator Club - Bravehearts Basketball National team - Malawi, 2022 The point guard featured for Mikoko Mystics before joining Bravehearts in 2018. Mazulu also serves as the Central Zone Basketball League (CEZOBAL) Women's Director, overseeing basketball development initiatives in the region. I'm a Finance Administrator at Green Girls Platform, where we promote climate justice and empower young women leaders. It requires dedication, time management, and a deep passion for all my roles to succeed. For me, the three are not mutually exclusive, they're complimentary. The discipline and focus I bring to basketball has helped me excel in my corporate role, and vice versa. I've learned to prioritize, making sure I balance training, games, and travel with my professional responsibilities. It's not always easy, but my love for the game and my commitment to my profession drive me to succeed in both areas,” she recently said. “I'm proud to be part of a community that shows women they can pursue their passions, whether on the court or in the boardroom, and I'm excited to continue inspiring the next generation of female basketball players and leaders. Ingvild Mucauro - Medical Doctor Club - Ferroviario de Maputo National team - Mozambique since the 2008 U18 Women's AfroBasket The Mozambique forward has been a mainstay for her national team, playing her first senior Women's AfroBasket in 2015. She has played for her current club at the continental level since, with stints at Costa do Sol and Inter Clube of Angola in 2022 and 2023. I started very early on both as my dad wanted a [his child to be a] doctor, he said it is a good profession and I love helping people. My mother played basketball and I loved it from a young age,” she said. “ I grew up loving both passionately and I couldn't choose one. I'm very fulfilled to do both activities today and I think I am who I am because I stuck with both. There would be no Ingvild, the basketballer, without the Medical Doctor and vice versa. Even when I stop playing I think I'll find a way to stay involved in both worlds. Yacine Diop - Fashion Designer/Model Club - Armee Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) National team - Senegal U18 2012, Senior team 2018-present The forward has spent the better part of her basketball career overseas, having moved to the US at 16 for a shot at high school basketball, playing all the way to University. I'm passionate about design and fashion and I always wanted to become a sports model but when I was in college in the US we were not allowed to do that. I always wanted to have my own brand too, so I thought, why not create my own brand and become my own model?. That's how I came up with @yattitude-sports and so far it's fun. I do everything myself, from sourcing to designing and marketing, and I'm having fun with it because I'm passionate about designing things. Managing the business and my career in basketball is tough as I run everything myself. My sister is helping with sales. The two, however, compliment each other as I have time after practice or games to just focus on the business. I also get to market the business amongst teammates and other sports personalities around me. Victoria Majekodunmi - Digital Marketer/Graphic Designer Club - First Bank Basketball National team - France 2014 U18 to 2016 U20 The French-Nigerian shooting guard has played in France most of her career, featuring in second division and most notably with Mondeville in the first division. She has played in the French junior national teams (5x5 and 3x3), featuring in the U18 European Championship Women-DIVISION A in 2014, FIBA U19 Women’s World Championship in 2015 and 2016 FIBA U20 Women's European Championship - Division A. I own a digital marketing and graphic design business, Victorious Marketing Digital (@victorious_md on Instagram). I have managed to study, while playing, from a young age, always looking to get better knowledge of this career that I was passionate about. I now have three different diplomas and own a business that I love. Playing basketball involves a lot of travelling but that doesn't stop me from running my business as all I need is a laptop and a good WiFi. Betty Kananu - Banker Club - Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) National team - Kenya 2017 to 2019 The small forward has been on the Kenyan and African basketball scene since joining KPA in 2016, switching to Equity Bank Basketball in 2018 to date. She has featured in two Women's AfroBasket tournaments in 2017 and 2019. Managing the two requires discipline, time management and a lot of dedication.” “ My passion, really, is my motivation and to excel in both. I maintain a high level of focus that helps in prioritizing schedules effectively. I leverage on mental toughness and pressure-handling skills from the sport in banking while also collaborating with colleagues and teammates to achieve my goals. Anabela Cossa - Penitentiary Officer Club - Ferroviario de Maputo National team - Mozambique since 2004 U18 The shooting guard has made a name for herself in the continent since making her senior national team debut as a teenager in 2005. At club level she won four titles, two with Grupo Desportivo (2007, 2008) and the rest with her current club. It's not easy to manage both but I love what I do both on the court and in my day job. Being a mother too adds to the pressure of managing life as a career woman, but I have a strong support system, without which I could not be this good. My colleagues understand when I have to be away for competitions and they step in. My family has also been there, helping with my son which makes it possible for me to focus as I know they have my back. Theresa Ebiega - Software Testing/Quality Assurance (QA) Club - First Bank Nigeria The Nigerian point guard has spent her career with First Bank Basketball, with stints in Cameroon featuring for Forces Armées et Police Basketball (FAP). She is yet to play for her country's national team, D'Tigress. I'm still in the transition phase from school to the Software Testing and Tech market and balancing basketball with a demanding career path hasn’t been easy. It has, however, shown me what I’m truly capable of as I had to navigate training and studying, and handling some freelance jobs. Basketball gave me discipline, resilience, and the mindset to fight through challenges - the same mindset I now bring into software testing. For me, this journey is personal. It’s about proving to myself, and to young women across Africa, that we don’t have to choose between our passion and our profession. We can excel in both. We can dominate on the court and still build powerful careers outside of sports. And every step I take in tech reminds me that I’m creating something that will last long after the final whistle. Selina Okumu - Demand Planning Manager Club - Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) National team - Kenya 2017 to 2025 The small forward has been part of the record Kenyan champions since 2016, with a one-year stint at Equity Bank in 2018. I’ve balanced my professional career and basketball by giving both the dedication and discipline they deserve. My passion for each fuels the other.” “The focus I gain on the court strengthens my daily job, and the structure of my career sharpens my performance as an athlete. Excelling in both has taught me resilience, time management, and consistency.” “The support I receive from Mars Wrigley Kenya leadership and KPA while at work and away playing, has made this journey possible. Their belief in my ability to thrive in both spaces motivates me to keep aiming higher. Odile Tetero - Anaesthesiologist Club - Rwanda Energy Group (REG) National team - Rwanda since 2019 The Rwandese point guard has featured three national clubs, IPRC Huye (2017-2021), APR (2022-2023), and REG (2021-2022, 2024 to date). I always wanted to be in the health sector since I was young and my parents encouraged me to go for it. I also loved sports in general.” “ I fell in love with basketball in high school, but I knew it would take hard work to keep doing both. Being a student athlete built a resilience in me that I still rely on as I handle both passions. I have to manage my time well and have schedules that allow me to meet my career expectations, including studying, while also doing individual basketball workouts, lifting room and team practice which is not easy, but I love doing it. Natalie Mwangale - Operations Assistant Club - Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) National team - Kenya 2015 - 2025 The veteran Kenyan point guard started her basketball career on 2013 with Eagle Wings in Nairobi before moving to KPA a year later, to date, establishing herself as a club and country icon. Combining work and basketball has been challenging, but I have had a good support system. I work a rotational shift that gives me enough time to work out individually and later with the team . I am lucky to play for my employer as well and I have the company's (KPA) full support because they know I am an athlete who also performs well at work. This article was first published by FIBA
