Manyehlisa Lehohla - The Big Tip Off

Ditsheko back home to share his hoops knowledge

KHAMAN Maluach, Ulrich Chomche, Thierry Serge Darlan and Rueben Chinyelu are names synonymous with the once-famed NBA Academy in Saly, Senegal. Those players, moulded and shaped by the academy, went on to carve out names for themselves on various courts in the United States on platforms such as the NBA, the G League and the college circuit.

It’s not a given that players who came through the now-closed NBA Academy pipeline will realise their playing dreams. Sometimes the dreams of others lie elsewhere, but still within basketball.

The latter statement is the story of academy alumnus Brian Ditsheko. From the platinum-rich town of Rustenburg in the North West province of South Africa, he left the country seven years ago (2019) as a starry-eyed teenager to join youngsters like him in Saly, Senegal, to fulfil a basketball dream.

A few years later, the dream took a different turn for Ditsheko, now 26, an age at which most players have already entered the prime of their careers. Seeing the door that once held the promise of a fruitful playing career slowly close, he chose not to see a dream deferred; he saw opportunity and pivoted.

Drawing up X’s and O’s, giving instructions from the sidelines and calling time-outs to design plays or make adjustments was his true calling. He was meant to be Coach Ditsheko.

Brian Ditsheko 2026 — **Brian Ditsheko has warmed up to coaching. Pictures: Supplied**

While he feels he could lace up, Ditsheko, who returned to South Africa last Saturday, would rather dedicate his time to coaching, an aspect of the game he says he has fallen in love with.

“I feel I can still play, but I fell in love with the sideline (coaching). It’s something I feel I am good at,” said Ditsheko.

He went on to explain how the coaching bug bit. “I feel that coaching happened organically for me. Obviously, I have a love for the game… teaching and playing. What I can say is my transition to coaching happened naturally, and I love it,” said Ditsheko.

He also got candid about his desire to pursue the game further not materialising. “I had dreams to play basketball at the highest level, but post-COVID and after the shutdowns, there was a lack of opportunities. I decided to take a different route,” said Ditsheko. “It was around 2023 or 2024 that the light bulb switched on for me. People started to see it and recommended that I join the coaching department or school development.

Then he had his moment of affirmation that he was ready to become a coach.

“When people started to trust me, it showed I had a good understanding of what I am doing, and after spending time with the Houston Rockets at the 2024 Summer League, I knew then I am going to be good at coaching and its what I want to do.”

Ditsheko is one of several South Africans who have been part of coaching staff at the Summer League. Coaches like Vincent Ntunja, Lindokuhle Sibankulu (both former South Africa national team players), Junior Mmoloke and Igor Lunneman have all had the opportunity to be a part of the NBA Summer League.

For Ditsheko, the Summer League experience was an eye-opener.

“It’s amazing. It’s basketball at the highest level. Good facilities,” said Ditsheko. “The teams have a large coaching staff. I mean, Mike Brown of the New York Knicks won the NBA title with eight assistant coaches. So it’s basketball at the highest level; it’s detailed – everything defensively and offensively is really detailed. There is always a why for the way things are done. So if you are playing KD (Kevin Durant), you cannot come unprepared because he is going to give you 40 if you don’t study how he plays.

“So coaching at that level was amazing for me. When I was with the Rockets, I got to work with Amen Thompson, a player with the potential to be an All-Star. So it was just amazing.”

In his last few months before returning to South Africa, following the closure of the NBA Academy last Friday, Ditsheko was already transferring knowledge to others in his host country, yielding positive results.

“With the academy being in Senegal, we have learnt with others within the country. I took a job at a local school and led them to a championship, and it was an amazing part of my growth because I got to teach,” said Ditsheko. “The more you teach the kids that don’t know, the more you also get to learn. The kids teach you how to teach them. It was a way for me to give back to a country that accommodated me for six to seven years.”

With the academy closing its doors, how does Ditsheko feel about the situation?

“The closure of the academy is just sad. It takes away a huge opportunity in terms of basketball for African kids. It’s sad,” said Ditsheko. “On my part, I have grown enough to step away from the academy, and I accept that my time there has come to an end and I need to close that chapter.

He is considering his options, and sees his home country, South Africa, as a viable option.

“Yes, I am looking at opportunities in South Africa, and there is a good chance that I might stay in South Africa. It’s something I want to do because I feel I can give a little bit to the country that taught me how to play basketball,” said Ditsheko.

He also credits the academy for shaping him into an adult. “I always say I came to the academy as a boy and I left as a man,” said Ditsheko. “I have learnt so much about life and values. I am a grown man now, a potential father and husband. That’s because men of different nationalities surrounded me. They invested in me. That’s why I say I came a boy and left as a man.”

If anyone were to glean anything from Ditsheko’s story, it is that he is an example of adapting to reality and changes in circumstances, and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

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Sekka set the bar high in African hoops

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NOT many athletes’ careers span two decades or even close in on a third (decade), and fewer are laden with success during that time. So when the name Radhouane Slimane or Sekka is mentioned in conversations by African basketball aficionados, you have to take notice, as it’s a name that illuminates success.

When Sekka recently sounded the buzzer on his career, it was the ending of a storied playing career of an African legend, whose career is worthy of possibly being inducted into the FIBA Basketball Hall of Fame.

It was also a realisation. A golden age in African basketball had come to an end, and Slimane was one of that era’s representatives. He was the consummate stretch four, always steady, making the simple plays look flashy and an exceptional leader.

In his performances in the opening season (2021) of the BAL in the colours of US Monastir, already 40, Slimane put up an impressive 10.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. And in that first season in a group game against Madagascar’s GNBC in a fast-break move, he showed he could still get up and throw down.

**Radhouane Slimane won three AfroBasket titles with Tunisia. Pictures: FIBA Africa**

Until the age of 45, when most of his age mates had long called it a day, the smooth-moving Slimane kept going, blocking out the noise when asked how long he sees himself running up the hardwood.

In an interview with The Big Tip Off, he told this journalist that “love for the game” kept him wanting to sweat it out on the court.

“It’s for the love of the game, a love of the game. I am healthy and enjoying the game. I have sacrificed for this game and if I have more years to give, then I will give them,” he said ahead of Season 5 of the BAL.

He’s set foot on some of the greatest basketball stages, including the FIBA World Cup and the AfroBasket, which brought Tunisia titles, with Slimane and his generation leading the North African nation to its entire continental trophy haul.

Before the 2021 title victory, Sekka, then 41, wanted to go out with a bang as he sensed, and before the tournament, spoke with clarity in an interview with FIBA Africa that the end was near for him and some of his teammates.

“This year must be the last chance for my generation to win one more African championship. Players like myself, Salah (Mejri), (Mohamed) Hadidane, (Omar) Mouhli might retire from the national team after Kigali,” said Slimane.

Radhouane Slimane or Sekka 2026 US Monastir — **Radhouane Slimane has had a trophy-laden career with US Monastir, including winning the BAL title in 2022.**

Having built a career resume of success with the national team, with US Monastir on the continent and in the Tunisian and Iraqi domestic scenes, Slimane should be satisfied with his career, but as he told Al Jazeera before the 2021 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, he wondered how far he could have gone had his talent got proper exposure.

“A lot of agents and a lot of coaches told me I would easily play in the NBA, but the media (coverage) here in Tunisia (is close to) zero,” said Slimane at the time.

Yes, a player, despite enjoying many successes, can always ask themselves what if about their careers. But as fans of the African game, it’s safe to say we appreciate his greatness and his role in setting a high bar in African basketball.

The legend has bowed out, but the memories he’s left us with are eternal.

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Swanepoel banks on basketball to open new doors

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FROM the moment Marlou Swanepoel picked up a basketball in 2020, it was love at first bounce, and when he started high school, he was already clear in his mind that whichever school he went to, it had to have his newfound love.

The Pretoria Boys High School pupil and DUEP player has big dreams, has already tasted success in his young career, and feels those wins are signs that basketball has a lot more to offer. Having won the MVP title at the recent Africa Hoops Grassroots Youth Classic Tournament, Swanepoel, who is from South Africa’s Gauteng province, hopes performing on the court and achieving good grades will help him realise his dreams.

“I think it’s vital. It’s really good. Finishing matric, getting this exposure, it’s really helpful for a person who wants to take basketball seriously and go overseas with it… Getting this recognition really helps. It gets my profile out there, and they see who I am as a basketball player and a person,” said Swanepoel, who took up basketball during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After getting hooked on hoops, he traded in his goalkeeping gloves for a basketball, and he has not looked back. And when he started High School, the preferred institution had to, of course, have basketball.

“I started to develop my love for basketball during COVID at home in 2020 when I had nothing to do. We had a hoop at home, and I started playing in our driveway, and it grew on me,” said Swanepoel. “I wanted to go to a school that has basketball, and my parents would always tease me that they would send me to boarding school when I was naughty at home.

“I started looking into it and realised boarding school was not so bad. We applied at Boys High, I got into boarding school there and continued playing basketball at grade eight, and in grade nine I made it to the U15 provincial team (in 2024), and I was captain of the team. That’s when I knew I had a future in the sport.”

Marloe Swanepoel 2026 Africa Grassroots Basketball — **Marloe Swanepoel has enjoyed team and individual success on the court. Pictures: DUEP**

He has already begun the process of fulfilling his ambition of pursuing basketball and education abroad.

“We are currently working with BRUSA; they are helping us to get in contact with colleges in the US. We are also looking at gap year programs to help me develop academically and athletically. Even if I can enter college without a gap year programme, that would be great,” said Swanepoel.

While Swanepoel harbours big dreams, he knows a lot of work lies ahead to reach them. This being his final year of school, how does he manage a hectic academic schedule that includes exams and a playing schedule?

“It’s about having a balance of everything. It’s something I am used to. I have always been busy with sports and school,” said Swanepoel. Having started soccer before playing basketball, I have always been busy athletically, while having academic pressure.”

He credits being a boarder at Boys’ High for giving him the discipline he needs to stay on track academically.

“I think staying at hostel also helps, where there is an allocated time to study. So I don’t have the option of shying away from studying. So it’s about having a good balance of everything… Going to your practices, getting that out of the way and getting back to hostel, focusing on academics and doing what needs to be done. Obviously, academics have a big impact on college applications and marks do matter,” said Swanepoel.

Marloe Swanepoel African Grassroots Youth Hoops Classic 2026 — **Marloe Swanepoel will be part of DUEP’s quest for the national title.**

He reflected on the Africa Grassroots Hoops Youth Classic Basketball Tournament in Cape Town, where his feats led the Durban-based DUEP club to the championship and he landed the MVP crown.

“It was an honour to be named MVP with all the talent and skill at the tournament. There were a lot of really good players at the tournament. The team… We performed really well. It was our first tournament together, and we went undefeated in the tournament was good for us,” said Swanepoel. “It showed all the talent and skill we had. We came together as one even though we did not have a lot of chemistry. Our skills and talent really helped us.”

His abilities have not gone unnoticed within the DUEP structures, as he has since graduated to the senior team, and he will be part of the KwaZulu-Natal team’s challenge at the 2026 National Club Championships. The championships, scheduled for late August, will serve as qualifiers for the Road to BAL.

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Kra reflects on marathon season with the Kings

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JCA Kings are living up to the latter part of their name after yet another dominant season. The Kings retained two of their domestic crowns this season and added another (the Super Cup), reaffirming their basketball dominance in Côte d’Ivoire for another year.

A player who has led from the front in what is a golden two years for JCA is veteran player Ulrich Kra, whose career is laden with success. He says this demanded a lot from the team, as domestic and continental campaigns needed Kra and his teammates to be at their sharpest.

Balancing domestic and continental ambition

The “long season”, as described by Kra, proved successful for him and JCA as they retained the Ligue d’Or title they won last season and the national cup. Kra says the key element of their Ligue d’Or title defence in June was the quality of the squad, with experienced players like Christopher Crawford and national team teammate Jonathan Cisse helping carry the team. He also detailed how the domestic and continental commitments exacted a physical toll on the team.

“I’m proud of winning this title. It was back-to-back, and secondly, it was a long season. A long, long season,” said Kra, nine-time league champion. “Last year, we went to the Road to BAL in Abidjan and then the Elite 16 in Praia. We then came back home for the new season, and then had to travel to Rabat for the BAL.

Ulrich Kra 2026 JCA Kings — **Ulrich Kra and JCA had a longer-than-usual season. Pictures: FIBA Africa**

“So it was a long, long season, and there were some small injuries, but at the end of the day, we got to the final against ABC, a really good team, but guys like Jonathan Cisse stepped up, and we kept our title.”

For any player, facing a former club in a final or finals, those moments can elicit certain feelings, and for Kra, who had enjoyed success with ABC, it was no different. Still, he and JCA found a way to stay on mission against a team entering the finals series with a perfect regular-season record.

“Of course, ABC were my last team before I came to JCA. So, I was a little nervous before the game because the previous season, we won the title against SOA. This time it was ABC, so we were very focused for the final. Our main goal was to fight till the end,” said Kra. “ABC won all their games. They were 22-0, so we had to fight, it was the only way. And it how we got the title.”

Lessons from the BAL

Just before their Ligue d’Or title defence, JCA made their BAL debut this year, and they endured a horrendous campaign, bowing out with a 0-5 record in the Sahara Conference. While the BAL was forgettable, the exposure to that level of competition set JCA up for unprecedented domestic success.

Kra, who was appearing for the second time in the BAL, concurs that competing against top-tier clubs from the continent jump-started their pursuit of a second league title.

“This season was long, as I said. We were in different competitions, the national cup, the league and the BAL. When you play a team like Club Africain, who have good players like Omar Abada and a club like Al Ahly of Egypt, you will return with big experience. We learnt from our mistakes over there, and when we came back for the league and cup. And we did our best in those competitions.”

Ulrich Kra in action for the JCA Kings — **Ulrich Kra, centre, celebrates the Ligue d’Or title with his teammates.**

Learning from a legend

Kra paid homage to his former teammate at ABC Fighters and his current JCA coach, Stephane Konate, who is decorated as a player and is turning the club into a force in Côte d’Ivoire.

“When you play for a team like JCA, and you have a coach like Stèphane Konatè, it’s a big chance for young players and me to succeed. We have a lot of confidence in him,” said Kra.

“He is like a father figure to me. When I was young, I watched him on TV. He brought me to ABC, and we played together for about nine seasons. I learnt everything from him.”

While he continues to learn from a mentor who has become a respected coach, Kra has led on the court and helped JCA achieve their unprecedented success. As captain of the team, how has Kra, the 2024-2025 Ligue d’Or MVP, taken to the leadership role in the last two seasons?

“In Africa, it’s hard to defend your title. So when you get to training, you have to work hard every morning and every night. As the captain, I always try to do my best in training. To motivate the young players to give all they can and play with good energy and fighting spirit to win games or a final,” said Kra.

JCA will return to the Road to BAL, and Kra, who has played in five of the continental qualifiers, looks forward to the upcoming challenge.

“We did a good job (at last year’s Road to BAL), but we fell short at the BAL. So some work still has to be done. We have to try to get the best import players and do our best to get back to the BAL,” said Kra.

Ulrich Kra Cote d'Ivoire 2027 FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers — **Ulrich Kra and the Elephants know the road will be more difficult in the next round of the FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers.**

World Cup ambitions

The continued success of JCA has seen Kra earn a recall to the national team after last competing for the Elephants at the 2023 AfroCan. During the 2027 FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers, Kra averaged 6.2 points and 1.2 rebounds as the Ivorians, who were in Group B with Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Madagascar, progressed with a 5-1 record to the next round (in Group F), where they will face Mali, Angola and Egypt. Joining them in Group F are also the DRC and Senegal.

Having already faced Senegal and Congo in the earlier rounds, the Ivorians, who carry 11 points into the next round and a second-place ranking in the new group, face Angola, Egypt, and Mali. Despite his country’s solid positioning, Kra says they face a tough task.

“I am very satisfied with our result on the last two windows. I think we did a good job getting to this position today… And we will have to make more of an effort against nations like Egypt, Angola and Mali because it will be more difficult,” said Kra. “Especially against Angola and Mali. For me, they are the two best teams on the continent at the moment. We will have to work even harder and represent our country to the best of our ability,” said Kra.

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Masiyano: A rising star in Malawi’s basketball scene

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VINCENT Masiyano has been a burgeoning talent in his country’s basketball scene, and when you follow his progress, he looks to be on a path to fulfilling the promise of his abilities.

Masiyano, whose talents were partly nurtured and honed by the Brave Hearts, has already experienced career milestones. After joining the senior team in 2024, Masiyano, who is still in his teens, already has two BASMAL national titles to his name.

The 17-year-old had the privilege of suiting up for the six national champions at the Road to BAL, notching up a double-double (10 points and 10 rebounds) against Matero Magic in a final Elite 16 group game, which they lost 78-71.

Speaking to The Big Tip Off on Friday, a few days (Tuesday, 16 June) after winning the men’s U18 Soweto Uprising tournament final and being crowned MVP, Masiyano, who joined the club in 2021 from Likuni Clippers, reflected on Brave Hearts’ success in South Africa and the future.

“We trained for like two weeks for the tournament (Soweto Uprising), before I left with the senior team for Kenya. Coach said if we want to be recognised, we have to win this tournament. So one of the things we did was play good defence, and we made our shots… It feels great for us, it was our first international as a youth team, so we had to play good. We had to play good,” said Masiyano.

Masiyano Brave Hearts 2026 — **Vincent Masiyano was a standout player at the recent Soweto Uprising tournament. Pictures: The BTO**

He gave a pointed answer on winning the tournament’s MVP accolade. “I was very excited to be part of the team, and I did not let my teammates down,” said Masiyano.

Having helped Brave Hearts clinch a historic sixth men’s club championship, he looks forward to having another Road to BAL run. Before discussing the upcoming Road to BAL, he spoke about the nerves he felt and what helped him settle in his first qualifiers for the Basketball Africa League.

“It felt great playing. I missed out two years ago because of my age, so it was great to be part of the team last year,” said Masiyano. “I felt scared because I was on the big stage, but Faad (Billy) told me, ‘Just free your mind, you will be good’. I did that, and it turned out good.”

Being one of the youngest players on the club, he looks to star guard Billy as an inspiration and credits him as one of the reasons he joined Brave Hearts.

“Yes, he is my role model. He’s got good handles, and he is very confident on the court. He is also friendly with us, his teammates,” said Billy.

Vincent Masiyano 2026 Brave Hearts — **Vincent Masiyano in action against Cape Elite Soweto Uprising.**

Masiyano says the exposure to top-level competition has done wonders for his game. “I have improved my rebounding, blocks and going aggressive to the rim. In the Road to BAL, the players are taller, so you have to find a way around that,” said Masiyano.

Masiyano, who is in his matric year, will return with Brave Hearts to the Road to BAL after the successful defence of their domestic title. As the Malawian giants begin their preparation for the Zone VI qualifiers, he feels Brave Hearts will be more impactful this year.

“We are ready for it. We lost all our games (in the Elite 16). Now we must be ready,” said Masiyano.

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RSSB’s BAL title win masks Rwanda’s basketball reality

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THE BAL celebration confetti that poured as the Rwandan club RSSB Tigers hoisted the trophy on Sunday has cleared. Fans will be back to their daily routines after the crazy Sunday night celebration. And the ending of this BAL 2026 season is the resumption of the next.

However, as the resetting happens, there is another reality of Rwanda’s basketball that should not be left unchecked.

No doubt, RSSB’s accomplishment has greatly enhanced the East African nation’s image. Their BAL victory and Rwanda’s growing domestic league, a popular destination for top African and international talent, can only benefit that country. It’s a return on investment made by Rwanda’s government to popularise basketball. Additionally, with the state’s backing, partnerships with entities like the NBA further improved the sport’s visibility.

But at what cost? The optics of winning the BAL were great for Rwanda and RSSB, but how does it benefit the apex basketball entity in Rwanda, the national team?

RSSB player Ntore Habimana Rwanda 2025 AfroBasket — **Can BAL champion Ntore Habimana help revive Rwanda’s World Cup hopes?**

Something apparent and glaring throughout RSSB’s BAL campaign, until they lifted the baobab-shaped BAL trophy, was the heavy reliance on their import players. Tournament MVP Craig Randall II, Defensive Player of the Year Mangok Mathiang, Teafal Leanard, Mali’s Oumar Ballo and naturalised Antino Jackson carried RSSB to victory – but in stark contrast, Rwanda’s national team players like Axel Mpoyo, Ntore Habimana and Dieudonné Ndizeye only played contributing roles.

Whereas RSSB relied on their recruits, their opponents in the final, the BAL standard bearers, Petro de Luanda, who were playing in their fourth consecutive final on Sunday, and have competed in every BAL since the tournament’s inception, leaned on their local players like 2025 AfroBasket MVP Childe Dundão, Aboubakar Gakou, Yanick Moreira, Cleusio Castro, Milton Valente, Gerson Goncalves and Gerson Domingos.

You can spot the difference that Petro has a longer list of national team players. These are the players who, during Petro’s run to a fourth final, made significant contributions and continue Angola’s tradition of excellence on the African club scene. Names like Gakou, Valente and Goncalves (Gerson) were also alongside Dundão when Angola annexed a 12th AfroBasket trophy on home soil. Those names have been called up by Pep Canals, the Palancas Negras coach, as he plots Angola’s 10th appearance at the FIBA World Cup in Qatar next year.

Rwanda, too, are competing in the ongoing FIBA World Cup 2027 Africa qualifiers and will head to Angola (2-5 July) for the third window. But RSSB’s strong showing at the BAL masks the fact that the national team find themselves stone last with a 0-3 record in their qualifying Group D, which has Guinea, Tunisia and Nigeria. Not the kind of result you would expect for a country whose club just won the BAL, but again, who carried the night for RSSB in the BAL final?

RSSB player Dieudonne Ndizeye and Rwanda — **Dieudonne Ndizeye has been an ever-present for the national team.**

It was not Mpoyo nor Habimana, and while they gave RSSB quality minutes and made decent contributions, they hardly set the scene alight. Dundao and Gakou, on the other hand, exhibited why Angolan basketball is something to brag about as the duo were contenders for the MVP title alongside Randle II and Mathiang. Point guard Dundao was named to the All-BAL First Team, while forward Gakou made the All-BAL Second Team, showing the gulf between Angola and Rwanda.

The Petro ethos of banking on homegrown players is tried and tested. It has consistently brought them and other Angolan clubs success. In the BAL era, many clubs have adopted RSSB’s approach, prioritising immediate success over investing in the development of homegrown talent that could also strengthen their national teams.

Clubs like RSSB need to invest more in their domestic talent pipelines to develop players capable of competing at both the BAL and FIBA competitions.

For now, Rwanda and RSSB can bask in their BAL glory – but in the coming weeks, the novelty of winning the BAL will wear off, and barring a miracle in the World Cup qualifiers, the reality could set in that they still have some way to go before they are truly a force in African basketball.

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Chinyelu talks amazing college career and NBA dream

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RUEBEN Chinyelu speaks proudly of being Nigerian and of flying his country’s flag on the NCAA stage. It’s a path several of his compatriots have walked, but Chinyelu is distinguished by winning an NCAA championship and earning individual accolades with his college team, the Florida Gators.

The 6ft10 (2,08m) forward follows a path first navigated by Nigeria-born NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, who went through the American college system and won two NBA titles with the Houston Rockets in the mid-90s. It’s a legacy Chinyelu celebrates, and he hopes to be on the same stage where Olajuwan’s name once illuminated.

Speaking to The Big Tip Off via the Zoom platform at his Florida base, he reflected on the court life lessons he learnt before tasting success with the Gators and acclimating to life far away from home.

“It feels good to leave home, enter a new environment, and represent your country abroad. I am proud of where I come from, and knowing that legends like Hakeem Olajuwon dominated, and I am doing my part… That is beautiful,” Chinyelu said. “I aim to represent my country and embrace being Nigerian. I’m grateful to be Nigerian.”

Stormy days in Washington

Before becoming a Gator in 2024, the NBA Africa Academy alumnus spent a season at Washington State, where he committed a year earlier. Off his time in the US capital, he says he learnt resilience, especially when things did not go according to script.

“It’s another side of the country. It’s really cold. Lucky for me, I have adaptive skills, which allowed me to settle in a different environment, and that was an anchor for me. It helped me get through that time,” said Chinyelu. “Washington played a huge part in my growth… Just learning to be resilient. Knowing things are not always going to be rosy. There will be storms and sunshine. And through it all, you have to stay the course.

“I think Washington prepared me for where I am right now. Every other part of my journey, even before Washington State, also contributed to where I am now. From Nigeria, where I started playing basketball, to the NBA Academy (Senegal) and playing in the BAL. Without those experiences, I would not be successful.”

Rueben Chinyelu Florida Gators NCAA 2026 — **Rueben Chinyelu says the Gators family environment fuelled the team’s and his success. Pictures: Hannah White and Maddie Washburn**

Striking gold with the Gators

Chinyelu’s two years at Florida were a golden period of his college career, from a team and individual perspective. Looking back on Florida’s NCAA championship run, which was the university’s third basketball title, Chinyelu says that the success was due to the “family environment” built within the team. It’s a culture that permeated the team this year.

“When we won the championship, it was so wonderful. All the work put in… Seeing guys happy, wanting to play together and celebrating one another’s success was key for us. It kept us going. It kept us thriving, no matter the circumstances. Our team chemistry last year was unmatched,” said Chinyelu. “It was just a family environment. Everybody loves each other. We check on one another. It’s like one big family. Things like that make a difference… Because we have guys coming from different parts of the world, and giving them a family environment plays a huge part in the team being successful.”

While the Gators fell short of the exploits which saw them win the NCAA title last year, Chinyelu intimated that the family dynamic within the team allowed him to have an outstanding season this year (2025-2026), leading to him scooping five individual awards: SEC All-Defensive Team, Second-team All-SEC, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, NABC Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

“This year was no different. Everyone enjoyed playing together. It’s just that it was a breakout for me. I worked hard and did all I could,” said Chinyelu. “When it comes to winning the individual stuff, it was my teammates and them playing well with me, and the way I play with them. For any player to be successful, it’s the collective. Basketball is a five-man game. I would not have done it without them, so I share those awards with the team. They are our awards.”

Rueben Chinyelu Gators 2026 — **Rueben Chinyelu hopes his time at the Gators can open the doors to the NBA.**

Eyes on a bigger prize

His season had already ended, and after the interview with The Big Tip Off, he announced that he was declaring for this year’s NBA draft (set for June 24), while keeping the option to return to college. While he returned to college after declaring last year, this time around, he seems confident of a future in the NBA.

“Once I make it to the league. I want to be able to play long in the league,” said Chinyelu. “Once I am done, I want to help shine a light on Africa. Even if it’s to help create infrastructure or give back to the community. There is a ton of talent in Africa, but a lack of opportunity and resources. So once I am in a good position, I want to do everything I can.”

Chinyelu continued: “You have to start somewhere. You know how it is. If it is difficult here, in Africa, it’s 200 times more difficult. So that is why I want to do as much as I can for the African continent to help pave a way for another generation.”

Should he realise the dream of playing in the NBA, Chinyelu would join former NBA Academy Alumni and teammates Ulrich Chomche from Cameroon and South Sudan’s Khaman Maluach in being drafted to the elite league. On Maluach, a 10th pick in last year’s NBA Draft, Chinyelu recalled the work they put in together during the Academy days and how fate did not allow their colleges to face off in the NCAA final. Maluach’s Duke team fell short against the losing finalist, the Houston Cougars.

“Last year, when we made the final four, I was hoping I would play Khaman (in the final),” said Chinyelu. “He is my guy. We played together at the Academy for some years. So, I hoped he would make it to the final. It was going to be so much fun.

“I am so happy he got drafted. Super happy. Super proud of him because I remember the late-night and early morning work we put in to get better. That moment meant a lot. Not just for me, but the academy as well. I am proud of him.”

Chinyelu’s heart is in the right place, and whatever decision he makes to either return to Gainesville, Florida, for his final year of college or to pursue an NBA career, his story of resilience and adaptation is an example to follow.

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Meeting with father opens doors for Cisse

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AMERICAN-born Jonathan Cisse had grown up without his father for most of his life, so when he met him for the first time two years ago in Côte d’Ivoire, as stated in a social media post, it proved life-changing on two fronts.

It was a chance for him to build a relationship with his father, who is from Côte d’Ivoire, and it opened doors for his playing career in the West African country.

The 26-year-old has since become part of Côte d’Ivoire’s basketball fabric, having donned the Elephant’s orange jumper in March at the 2027 World Cup Africa Qualifiers in Senegal. He continued his club career on the continent with JCA Kings, whom he helped qualify for the BAL last year, and he is part of their ongoing BAL debut campaign.

This meaningful personal milestone also intersected with his growing career. Reflecting on this turning point, he says that meeting his father was “perfect timing”, and it became a launchpad for his basketball journey on the continent.

“It was special. Just growing up my whole life, not knowing my dad… It was perfect timing when I met him,” said Cisse. “I was coming out of college, starting my professional career. He kind of mentioned at first that I should look into playing for the national team.”

In addition to his father’s encouragement, he says playing in Europe drew the attention of the national team selectors.

Jonathan Cisse FIBA World Cup Africa Qualifiers 2027 — **Jonathan Cisse made his debut for Côte d’Ivoire at the World Cup Qualifiers. Pictures: FIBA and Getty**

Looking back on the lead-up before his debut, Cisse explained, “First year in Cyprus (2024-25 season) opened the doors. People started noticing my game. The director of the Ivorian national team said, ‘maybe you should consider’. This year, it finally happened,” said Cisse. “It was an honour when it finally happened, and seeing what it means to the people of the country. It was a special experience.”

On the court, Cisse finally made his debut for Côte d’Ivoire this year after missing out on the AfroBasket last year. He was part of the exceptional Elephants team, which went on a tear in the second window of the World Cup Africa Qualifiers, finishing with a 3-0 record in Group B. The fine start to the campaign has Cisse eager to continue the national team’s momentum in the next round of qualifiers (2-5 July in Senegal).

“I’m looking forward to the next window. I think we have a very solid team. It’s been great. My experience of missing the (2025) AfroBasket was disappointing. I was not cleared in time to play after getting to know and train with everybody,” said Cisse, who averaged 14 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3 assists in the second window between February 26 and March 1. “Now that I have played with them and everybody knows each other, I am excited. I think we can do something special. I am excited for what’s to come.”

For Cisse, turning out for the JCA Kings led to him picking up the finer points of the game in Africa from legendary player and current club coach Stéphane Konaté.

“It’s a different style of basketball from what I am used to, but it’s been great just doing what I love, which is playing basketball. I am having fun with it, working hard on and off the court, so I can continue to grow as a player and as a teammate,” said Cisse. “I am learning from Coach Steph. I know he had a great career with the national team. He’s been helping out a lot too, so it’s been a great experience.”

Jonathan Cisse of JCA at BAL 2026 — **Jonathan Cisse still holds hope JCA can make the playoffs.**

What has been forgettable so far is their BAL debut, as JCA fell 0-3 in the Sahara Conference, which has heightened the pressure on Cisse and his teammates to win their two remaining games so they can have a chance of qualifying for the playoffs in Kigali. Before the tip-off of the Sahara Conference, Cisse said the team was looking forward to their debut.

“I think it’s good spirits… The practices have been intense. High level. We have been going at it and stuff. I think everybody is excited to make their debut,” said Cisse. “I think we are going to shock a lot of people. I know not many people are expecting us to do much, but we are excited, hungry, and everybody is ready to show what we can do.”

Things have not gone according to script, but Cisse has not lost hope of a place in the playoffs despite a third loss in a row, a 79-74 defeat to Club Africain on Tuesday, in which he scored 30 points and dished out 7 assists.

“We still have two games left. We need to keep our heads high. We are not satisfied. We are gonna come out and compete in these next two games,” said Cisse of JCA’s dire situation at the post-match press conference.

Like in life, Cisse understands there are highs and lows, and the latter times require a team with unshakable resolve to overcome adversity.

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Zouita eyeing BAL title before ending his career

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WHEN great basketball careers become the top of the discussion in the African continent, the name Abdelhakim Zouita cannot be left out. The Moroccan is the embodiment of what it means to build a legacy of greatness throughout one’s playing career.

His career has spanned over 20 years, and he is still going strong. When asked about turning 40 this year, he stressed he was still far from the big four-zero. “Just 39,” laughed FUS Rabat captain Zouita. “For now, I am just 39.”

While the question factored the legend’s advancing age, it had a caveat. What made the legendary Moroccan hooper hungry and wanting more? “I want to win more titles. I want to achieve more success. To give young kids and other basketball players a good image of Moroccan basketball,” said Zouita.

There is no better ambassador of the game in Morocco and possibly Africa than Zouita, whose career has produced continental trophies for his country and former club AS Salé. On the domestic scene, he has won 10 Division Excellence and 12 Coupe de Trone titles. And he still craves more success. It’s a craving which, over the past couple of seasons, has found resonance within the FUS Rabat club.

Zouita says the desire to win is part of the club’s DNA, and that championship mentality has seen FUS win three Division Excellence titles in a row and qualify for the BAL from 2023.

“We have competitive players. Players who want to win. Players who want to take everything in Morocco. And win the biggest (club) title in Africa, the BAL. That’s it,” said Zouita.

Abdelhakim Zouita FUS BAL Season 3 2023 — **Zouita Abdelhakim and FUS have been shaped by past experiences to be a better team at this year’s BAL. Pictures: Getty Images**

Winning on the continent is something Zouita knows a thing or two about, having triumphed with Morocco at the 2023 AfroCan and nine years ago (2017) with his former club, AS Salé, he won the old FIBA Africa Champions Cup, and to cap off a memorable tournament, he got the MVP crown.

Zouita, who averaged 15.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists when Salé triumphed, could only express gratitude for helping his country and club reach the mountain top in African basketball.

“I am grateful. I have had a great career. I love basketball, and what I did for my country. I hope to give more and show basketball is big in Morocco,” said Zouita.

On winning the MVP trophy, Zouita says great team chemistry led to his individual success. “It was the group. We had about six, seven, or eight players who played together for about 10 years. That was the key,” intimated Zouita.

Back to the BAL. Morocco will host the Sahara Conference for the second time in the North African country’s capital, Rabat, and Zouita and FUS will look forward to facing Al Ahly, Club Africain, JCA Kings, AS Ville Dakar and Maktown Fliers.

Zouita believes the calibre of clubs coming to Rabat will make the conference tough. “I think this is the hardest conference. These are the biggest clubs in Africa. Clubs with good quality players,” said Zouita.

Abdelhakim Zouita AS Sale 2017 Africa — **Abdelhakim Zouita won the 2017 FIBA Africa Club Championship. Picture: FIBA**

Looking at the Rabat-based club’s BAL record, they navigated the conference stage quite well, but they have failed to progress beyond the last eight. Zouita says experience has been a teacher to him and his teammates, and the reinforcements added to the club have played in the BAL before, they canwhich will help make FUS a contender this year.

“We are more prepared. We have more experience because we have participated in this competition for two years. We have brought in two good players – Will Perry and Abdoulaye Harouna – they are a plus for our team,” said Zouita. “We will be good at this conference. This year we will be good.”

Zouita and FUS have always been competitors at this level, but they have to take it up a notch this year. While he still has a desire to win, he acknowledges that his window to win another continental title could be closing.

“I need to work more, I don’t want to end my career now. I want to play for a few more years. I want to have fun and enjoy the few years I have left on the court,” said Zouita. “I hope I can end my career with one more title. It will be hard. As I said, the conference in Morocco is the toughest… We will see. We will see.”

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Ozabor ready to take giant career leap

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JOSHUA Ozabor explains that two years ago, while playing in South Africa’s national club championship, he was naive about how serious the competition was and what it would have meant had the team he played for won the final.

Ozabor, one of the standout players for the Johannesburg Giants in the recently concluded BAL Kalahari Conference, which ended in disappointment, says playing for the haphazardly put-together Tip-Off Sport Vikings at the 2024 national tournament was a wake-up call.

Despite being a hastily arranged outfit, the then Florsheim Ngwenya-coached Vikings made it to the final but lost to MBB, who would earn the ticket to represent South Africa at last year’s BAL. During a telephonic interview with The Big Tip Off, the athletic Ozabor, who was playing NCAA Division I basketball at the time, recalled the lesson he learned two years ago.

“Not to take anything for granted,” said Ozabor, a former Bryant University Bulldogs player. “At that time, I was still at university. I was back for like three or four weeks. I think that was the third game I was playing in that tournament. I did not know what it was for. I was close with Florsh, who asked me to come and play and get some experience. I took that final for granted. I treated it like a normal game, not understanding the ramifications.

“It taught me that no matter where you are playing or who you are playing, you always have to come with that competitive mindset to win.”

Joshua Ozabor BAL Kalahari 2026 — **Joshua Ozabor feels the BAL showed he can get to his spots. Pictures: The BTO**

The attitude adjustment showed last year, and he won. This time, it was with the less-than-a-year-old Giants, who captured the national title and had a dream run in the Road to BAL, which led to automatic qualification for this year’s BAL Season 6. Sadly for Ozabor and Co., their Kalahari Conference debut held in South Africa’s capital, Tshwane, did not go according to script.

A humbling 0-5 record saw the Giants make an early exit. Despite finishing last in the opening leg of the BAL – the Kalahari Conference – Ozabor was one of the team’s shining lights. The 23-year-old statuesque baller averaged 14.8 points, 3 assists, and 4 rebounds during the Kalahari Conference. Ozabor was second in minutes (31.9) for the Giants in the five games he played, and he hit double figures after a quiet seven points in the opening game against Dar City.

Ozabor scored 18 points vs Nairobi City Thunder, 17 points vs RSSB Tigers, 13 points vs Al Ahly Libya and 19 points vs Petro de Luanda. While he held his own in terms of points production, he feels he could have done more to improve the fortunes of the Giants.

“Individually, numbers-wise, I did pretty well,” said Ozabor. “I am my own harshest critic. I feel I could have done better. Especially in that first game, I wish I could have done more offensively and defensively.”

While the Giants’ debut BAL campaign ended disappointingly, Ozabor feels his performances can only propel him forward.

“I am grateful for the opportunity. What I did in the tournament will help progress my career,” said Ozabor. “I definitely could have done better. Especially at the free-throw line. Just overall shooting percentage-wise I could have done better.”

He did feel he was able to get to his spots and make shots. “In terms of the aspects of my game that helped. Definitely my floaters and my finishing at the rim,” said Ozabor. “I thought I did a pretty good job putting the ball in places I know I wouldn’t get blocked.”

While a tournament of this magnitude requires meticulous preparation, sadly, the Giants were found wanting in that department, as competition in South Africa is not on par with leagues in Angola, Rwanda and Libya – countries which are home to the clubs that finished in the top three of the Kalahari Conference.

Joshua Ozabor JHB Giants BAL 2026 — **Joshua Ozabor put up some good numbers at the Kalahari Conference.**

Ozabor pointed to the experience factor and how it may have counted against them at the Kalahari Conference.

“I know for the most part, other than two imports (Jakobi Heady and Caleb Magua) and David Craig, the guys I was playing with, we had been together for a bit. Since last year, October,” said Ozabor. “Obviously, we are a new team. Many of these teams have played together, and as organisations, they have been around for over ten years.

“Individually, players like Nino (Dim) or Vees (Aviwe Mahlong) prepared extremely hard… As hard as they could have. We had been together since February, maybe we could have started earlier, but I think we prepared as hard as we could have for this opportunity.”

Having had the experience of facing off against high-calibre players like Childe Dundao, Nisre Zouzoua and the Jean Jacques Boissy’s of this world, how did he feel he measured up?

“The best play against the best of the best,” said Ozabor. “As a team, we never felt overwhelmed or scared. We didn’t perform to the level we should have, but we never doubted our abilities. It’s basketball at the end of the day, and there has to be a winner and a loser.

“Individually, or if I speak for myself and people like Nino and Aviwe, we feel like we are right up there with all those players. We are definitely younger and less experienced than they are, but when we step on the floor against them, we didn’t feel inadequate. We had trust in our work, our abilities and trust in God.”

Joshua Ozabor JHB Giants — **Joshua Ozabor enjoyed playing in front of his friends and family.**

With the Kalahari Conference being held in Pretoria, Ozabor says he enjoyed playing in front of “friends and family”.

“It was a blessing. Of course, we did not get the results we wanted, but playing in front of my friends and family is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Ozabor. “Every time you score a point or make a good play, you look to the side and see people that you know. The atmosphere as well… Seeing the fans there cheering… The overall excitement in the air. It was overwhelming at times and just a blessing to be a part of.”

The BAL season may have ended earlier than expected for Ozabor and the Giants, but his performances on that stage were surely enough to attract potential suitors for his services.

While there isn’t anything concrete yet about his future, Ozabor is taking everything in and hopes he does not have to wait too long to be rewarded for his talents.

“My family and I are still deciding that right now. By God’s grace, I’ll progress in my career. Whatever continent or country that is… We are still processing everything…. Still making decisions about who I want to do that with. By God’s grace, I’ll know soon enough. I am just grateful to Jesus Christ for having had the opportunity, which I had,” said Ozabor.

It is clear Ozabor moves by faith. With his added maturity brought by experience, he will be able to navigate obstacles on and off the court.

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Author name: Manyehlisa Lehohla

Balancing domestic and continental ambition

Lessons from the BAL

Learning from a legend

World Cup ambitions

Stormy days in Washington

Striking gold with the Gators

Eyes on a bigger prize