Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) have set the standard in Kenyan basketball over the past three seasons, and Garang Diing has been part of the journey from the beginning.
Speaking to The Big Tip Off at the start of the KNBL playoffs (4 September), the South Sudanese guard pulled back the curtain on the culture driving the champions.
A perfect season
The defending champions finished the 2026 KBF Men’s Premier League regular season unbeaten at 22-0. This extended their domestic winning streak to 60 games across three seasons.
With the playoffs underway, a third consecutive league title is within reach. Diing says the team’s consistency comes from time spent together and a clear understanding of their goals.
“I’d say we’ve been able to put a lot of hours together. Most of us have played together for a long time, almost three years now. So we’ve got that chemistry in check,” he said.
“We’ve also just continued to get better at aiming higher. This is just one of our steps as we try to go back to the BAL and get better results.”
The level has gone higher
Despite Thunder’s unbeaten domestic record, Diing believes the 2026 season has been their most challenging yet.
“The level has gone higher, of course, because teams are becoming more serious. You can see even the systems, the plays they are running during the game,” he said. “This is one of the most challenging seasons because teams are just investing more and trying to beat that unbeaten streak.”
Since being acquired by the Twende Group, NCT have become the team everyone wants to beat, but Diing says they have not changed the group’s approach.
“We just focus on being ourselves, running our systems the way we’ve been doing the whole season, not changing a lot and staying grounded,” he said. “Respecting the opponents, giving it our best, one game at a time, not looking at the championship.”
BAL experience shaping NCT
Thunder’s two BAL campaigns have also influenced the team’s approach to the domestic game. Their first campaign in 2025 ended with a 1-5 record in the Nile Conference, although the team secured Kenya’s first BAL victory.
They improved to 2-3 in the 2026 Kalahari Conference and narrowly missed the playoffs. For Diing, competing against some of the continent’s best clubs has changed how they prepare.
“Playing in the BAL has helped us in terms of raising our level and knowing what is out there,” he said.
“Every day at practice we try to mimic the highest level of basketball, which is the BAL. We try to practice at that level every day so that we get comfortable playing at that pace, that speed, that execution.”
The experience has also changed the way Diing reads the game.
“You just don’t do things for the sake of it in the game. You do them for a reason. You don’t just set screens. Asking “why” do you do this, why do you do that – really helps me.”
Diing’s journey with NCT
Diing’s journey to Thunder began in Nairobi’s basketball community. He first played for an under-20 team affiliated with Thunder before continuing his career at Strathmore University. By the time he completed his degree, he already knew several of the players who would eventually become his Thunder teammates.
The opportunity to join the professional programme came through a call from the club’s general manager, Kooshin Diriye.
“The general manager called me and said, ‘We’re starting this programme and I would like you to be a part of it.’ I already knew most of my teammates from that street league. I saw it was a good opportunity and I liked the vision,” he recalled.
Born and raised in Kenya with South Sudanese heritage, Diing has also earned opportunities with the Bright Stars, South Sudan’s national team.
For him, the call-up is evidence that opportunities can come from putting in the work at club level. “It shows if you put in the work and dedicate your hours to your craft, people will see,” he said.
“It also helps the guys overseas see there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, you can be playing within the continent and still get a spot playing for the national team.”
Diing looks beyond KBF
Diing’s ambitions extend beyond the KBF playoffs. As South Sudan continues their push toward the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the guard hopes to remain in contention for the Bright Stars while continuing to develop with Thunder.
For now, however, his attention remains on the club’s championship campaign and the next stage of the BAL pathway.
“I’m just working on my game right now, working on the playoffs. Hopefully Elite 16 I’ll be healthy to play, because that’s the level where the national team guys look at mostly,” he said.
Away from the court, Diing credits his family for keeping him motivated. “My biggest inspiration is my family. Most of them don’t live here in Nairobi. They watch most of my games when they can. They call me and ask what’s going on. They just keep pushing me.’
As Thunder continue their pursuit of another KBF title and prepare for another continental campaign, Diing believes the group already understands what is required.
“They already know what we are looking at and our goals. We speak a lot during practice, so I think everyone is ready.”
For now, the focus remains simple: the next game, the next challenge and the next opportunity to improve.
Sign up for our monthly newsletter for all the latest feature stories and previews of events on the African continent.
