Bruno Fernando

WE share insights on Angola’s chances at the upcoming FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (2-7 July). The qualifiers will take place in four cities (San Juan, Puerto Rico; Riga, Latvia; Valencia, Spain and Pireuas, Greece).

Team Profile: Angola

Angola used to be the epitome of success in African basketball. The 11-time African champions regularly participate in global competitions like the FIBA World Cup, but the Olympic Games have become a different story.  

Africa’s most decorated team last graced the Games 16 years ago (2008) and will try to end the dry spell when they begin their Olympic Qualifying Tournament campaign in Spain, which serves as the qualifiers for this year’s Game in Paris (26 July and 11 August).

Star players: The Angolans certainly do not lack in the talent department. With a strong contingent of internationally based players, Angola can lean on the likes of NBA player Bruno Fernando, Greece-based Silvio de Sousa and Jilson Bango, who plays his basketball in Germany.

Bango was in impeccable form during the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers – averaging 18 points and 7.7 rebounds in Angola’s first three matches. The Angolans will rely on the forward to bring the same form with him to Spain.

De Sousa and Atlanta Hawks player Fernando had solid performances in last year’s World Cup and will provide Angola with muscle in the paint.

Of the local contingent, the trio of Childe Dundao, Gerson Goncalves and Abubaker Gakou, who were part of the Petro de Luanda team that won BAL Season 4, will give Angola an added shot in the arm following Petro’s continental triumph.

Dundao, a star performer for Angola at the FIBA World Cup (14 points and 5.2 assists), has been a model of consistency for the national team. The pint-sized floor general’s 15 points per game and 6.7 assists per game in the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers is a testament to him being an asset to Angola.

Group A Match-Ups: Angola will take on two-time FIBA World Cup champions, three-time European champions and Olympic Qualifiers host Spain and Middle East nation Lebanon.

Angola will likely struggle against the highly successful Spanish team and fancy their chances against the Lebanese.

Outlook: The Southern Africans will most likely get past the group stage of the qualifiers. But Angola will struggle in the knock-out phases as they will face strong competition from any opponent that makes it out of the Group B leg in Valencia.