Eight African players in “Basketball-Without-Borders” global camp

Eight of Africa’s brightest young basketball talents have been selected to participate in the ‘Basketball Without Borders’ (BWB) Global Camp, taking place alongside the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) all-star weekend 2025 taking place in San Francisco, California.

The BWB Global Camp, the NBA’s and FIBA global basketball development and community outreach programme, brings together the top high-school-age prospects from around the world, providing elite coaching, skill development, and mentorship from current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches.

Three Nigerians and five other Africans are representing the continent at the 2025 BWB Global Camp among which are Heri Bukinga from Democratic Republic of the Congo; Arafan Diane from Guinea; Ali Assran from Egypt; David Ugonna Ike from Nigeria; Ikenna Alozie from Nigeria; Theophilus Edema from Nigeria; Paul Ater Maker Bol from South Sudan and Ahmed Bedoui from Tunisia.

Among the standout participants is David Ugonna Ike, a Nigerian, who had a stellar 2024 season, making his Basketball Africa League (BAL) debut through the BAL Elevate programme.

Averaging 14 minutes per game, he recorded 4.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He was also named Defensive Most Valuable Player and BWB Africa 2024 All-Star at the BWB Africa Camp in Johannesburg last August.

Another notable participant is Ali Assran from Egypt, who features in Season two of Born and Bred, a documentary series highlighting top African basketball prospects.

The 16-year-old forward has represented Egypt at the U-16 and U-17 National Teams and is set to graduate from NBA Academy Africa this year.

Ahmed Bedoui from Tunisia has also made an impression, representing his country’s U-17 National Team and making his BAL debut.

The 2025 NBA All-Star Championship was an all-star single-elimination basketball tournament played on February 16, 2025, during the National Basketball Association’s 2024/25 season.

It was the 74th edition of the NBA All-Star Game. It was hosted by the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. It was the fourth time the Warriors hosted the game and the first time since 2000, when the NBA All-Star game was played at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California.

The Warriors also hosted the game in 1960, as the Philadelphia Warriors at the Convention Hall in Philadelphia and in 1967, as the San Francisco Warriors at the Cow Palace in Daly City.

This was the first time that the NBA All-Star Game was held in San Francisco. The All-Star Game was televised nationally by TNT for the 23rd and final consecutive year, before returning to NBC (which aired the game for 11 years prior to TNT taking over coverage) in the next season.