Three South African basketball talents — Siyabonga Mashaba, Enzokuhle Mweli and Liamisha Aboo — were some of the stars among the 60 African players who took part in the 21st edition of the NBA and FIBA Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa camp in Kigali, Rwanda, recently.
As SA basketball continues to take steps towards becoming a powerhouse in Africa, this is something that will delight those in charge at the senior national level, knowing that talent is coming through.
Launched in the early 2000s by people such as late NBA Africa star Dikembe Mutombo, the camp has been nurturing young basketball talent from the continent.
Pascal Siakam, who represented the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals early in the year, and 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid have both come through these ranks.
History shows that the majority of young basketball players in the last two decades have come from Northern, East and West Africa.
Not many South Africans have been selected for the teams of the tournament or won individual awards.
But this time Aboo, from Redhill School, received the Patrick Baumann sportsmanship award and Mweli, from the American International School in Johannesburg, was crowned the three-point contest winner.
The last South African to have won the contest was Suzy Whall in the girls’ division in 2023 in Johannesburg.
Mweli, who was also named in the boys’ All-Star Team, said he gained educational experience from the camp, which fed into his passion for basketball.
“I had a fruitful experience during my stay at the camp,” Mweli said. “I learnt that discipline and representation do not only apply on court. It applies off the court as well.
Engaging with players allowed me to learn their diverse cultures and languages
“Engaging with players allowed me to learn their diverse cultures and languages.
“This enabled me to practise what I learnt through communicating with them during matches. I learnt how to control my temper and be a good player and teammate.
“Professional coach and former NBA basketball player Kerry Kittles told me that I do not need to be an excellent basketball player to play at a professional level.
“It starts with mastering basics like dribbling a ball, controlling the ball and also having control of your passes.”
Aboo, 17, was thrilled when she received the award from the NBA coaches. During her stay at the camp, she learnt that there was more to the game than just playing basketball.
“There are many more elements to basketball,” she said. “It is about a sense of belonging and teamwork.
“This is where you build communication with your team players and utilise them during a game.
“It is not just about using them, yet it is the thought of knowing that you have people around you whom you can rely on.”
Aboo said she considered WNBA player Kelsey Plum to be her role model.
The camp in Kigali ended with the championship games between girls’ teams Seattle and Liberty, with the latter, coached by Moses Ehamba, who recently was assistant coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, claiming the crown.
In the boys' section, the Pacers, coached by Indiana Pacers lead assistant coach Lloyd Pierce, were crowned champions after beating Minnesota, coached by Timberwolves lead assistant coach Micah Nori.
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