NBA to Build 100 Basketball Courts in Kenya
“The commitment by the NBA to build 100 basketball courts in Kenya will greatly enhance sports development and give our youth access to top-notch facilities,”
By Robert Mutasi
The NBA plans to construct 100 basketball courts in schools and communities over the next decade in the United States.
This is meant to foster the sport, nurture young talent, and develop the sport’s popularity in Kenya and across East Africa.
The event was announced by President William Ruto, who hosted a meeting with NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum at State House Nairobi.
Tatum was accompanied by five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher and the United States Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman.
The high-profile delegation underscored an increase in collaboration between the NBA and Kenya in the course of seeking to grow the sport beyond its traditional North American boundaries into Africa.
Present at the meeting, President Ruto welcomed the NBA move to invest in grassroots basketball, adding that a total of 100 courts built across various communities and schools will go a long way in securing the future of Kenyan basketball.
“The commitment by the NBA to build 100 basketball courts in Kenya will greatly enhance sports development and give our youth access to top-notch facilities,” said Ruto.
“This initiative not only will help groom talent but also provide avenues for the youth to participate in healthy activities and for the country to develop an even better sporting culture.”
Besides the courts, the NBA is setting up its commercial hub in Nairobi, yet another key milestone in Kenya’s increasing profile as a sports and investment hub.
It also marks a multi-year commitment by the NBA to the region, making Nairobi a base central point for the organization’s operations in Africa.
“The establishment of the NBA’s commercial hub in Nairobi will present Kenya businesses with new opportunities and further strengthen our economic ties with the United States,” he added.
The NBA has been strengthening its presence in Africa, particularly with the BAL and other initiatives aimed at developing the sport on the continent.
The construction of basketball courts in Kenya, in addition to opening a commercial hub in Nairobi, further attested to how far deeper into the commitment to Africa the league had gone.
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