THE Africa Blogtable brings together some of the top basketball minds from across the continent to answer some of the league’s most pressing questions this season.
The 2023-24NBA Awards finalistswere unveiled in April and three international players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks) were named MVP Finalists.
With the 2023-24 NBA MVP Award finalists revealed, the Blogtable writers share their thoughts on who will take the crown.
Sindiswa Mabunda, The Big Tip Off (South Africa):I believe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) will win the MVP award. The Canadian guard had a breakout season last year and continued with his impressive form this year. SGA ended the regular season with an average of 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game and the Thunder to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
SGA has established himself as the leader of the best team in the West, with the second-best record in the league overall. He has also proven himself to be a top perimeter defender, leading the league in steals with an average of 2 per game. Additionally, he was the third-highest scorer in the league.
Dallas Mavericks player Luca Doncic is among the three international players nominated for the NBA regular season MVP award. Pictures: Getty Images
Alex Isaboke, Capital FM (Kenya): My MVP is Nikola Jokic. Once again he has proved to be the best over the rest, with his stardom inspiring the Nuggets into the playoffs and on track to defending the title. His name is on the list for several major counting stats – he’s fifth in total points, second in total assists, and third in total rebounds – he remains my favourite.
Mor Bassine, Record (Senegal):I choose Luka Dončić of the Dallas Mavericks for the MVP trophy. His statistics are above average – 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game. He is well ahead of players like OKC’s Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists or even last season’s Finals MVP, Nikola Jokic who averaged, 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds.
Tosin Abayomi, Pulse Nigeria (Nigeria): All three MVP nominees had extraordinary campaigns over 82 regular season games. However, the winner will be Nikola Jokic who has taken the mantle as the best basketball player in the world. His control of the game from the centre position is unprecedented, while Doncic has better stats in a loaded Western Conference.
JOAKIM Noah may have ended his playing career a few years ago, but he is still a recognisable face. The telling moment came when he was swarmed by autograph-seeking youngsters on the opening night of the Basketball Africa League.
Most of the fans who queued up to take photos with Noah and get his autograph were pre-teens. Some wore jerseys of current NBA stars, but they admired Noah, who was in his prime when they were learning to walk.
Noah retired from the NBA in 2021 after his best years, which included two NBA All-Star selections in 2013 and 2014 and the NBA Defensive Player Award in 2014.
In an interview with The Big Tip Off, Noah reflected on his playing career, his work as a BAL investor, the impact of the BAL on Africa’s basketball ecosystem, and the league’s future.
Joakim Noah had fun at the Special Olympics during the BAL. Pictures: The BAL
Looking back on a playing career spanning over 14 years on the rosters of the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, and finally, the Los Angeles Clippers, Noah regrets nothing. While he may not have won a championship ring, Noah left it all on the court throughout his career.
“When faced with adversity, how you handle it is where your power lies,” said Noah.
Noah cherishes the moments he spent with his teammates. For him, winning with his teammates and celebrating with them on the bus are the most memorable moments. “For the highlights, just being retired now – all you have left is your friendships and your memories.”
He now finds happiness in his work with the BAL and witnessing the league’s growth. “It is still the beginning, but seeing the growth, being in South Africa, and seeing the fan interaction… ow excited people are about what we are building here, is something special to me,” says Noah. “A day doesn’t go by where I am not talking about NBA Africa and the work that I am doing in the inner city in Chicago. Those are the things bringing me joy.”
Many retired professional athletes are in the media industry. They have pursued careers as broadcasters, and some have opted to become minority owners in American sports teams.
Noah on the other hand decided to invest his time in African basketball. His decision was easy because of the relationship and trust in BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall’s leadership.
“He is somebody that I trust, a humble warrior who cares about the mission of growing basketball on the continent, and when I knew that he was at the head of this – it wasn’t something to question,” says Noah. “I invested and I am very proud of being able to do this on the continent.”
The standard of work that the BAL has carried out in the first four seasons has catalysed growth across the continent. It has prompted more investment in the sport from the grassroots to the senior level.
“You can see the growth of the leagues all around. I think it’s a great step because it motivates the players across the continent. They know that there’s a league represented by the NBA. The level of excitement in the fans is evident. The players get the chance to play on the same courts as those in the NBA. The are top-notch facilities, sound systems, and everything else that makes the BAL a first-class experience,” said Noah.
A key part of the BAL is the Elevate program. It gives NBA Africa Academy prospects a chance to play for the 12 teams during the competition.
“Being around these young men, seeing their growth and them being able to play on the largest stages of our sport is the most beautiful aspect of the BAL,” says Noah. “They know that when they are stepping onto the court, they are more than just a basketball player. They represent the continent and I think they’ve been doing that well.”
Joakim Noah sharing a moment with pop artist Sho Madjozi.
At present, four Academy players are competing in the Kalahari Conference. Those are; Aginaldo Neto (Petro de Luanda), Mohammed Sylla (FUS da Rabat), Mohamed Camara (Dynamo Basketball Club), and Yakhia Diop (Cape Town Tigers).
“We are proud of all of them and are proud of the work they are putting in. We acknowledge the sacrifices they made as young men, leaving their families – that is not an easy thing. [The BAL] provides an opportunity for them to speak about their journeys, the hard work that goes into being a professional, and they are almost there. They are coming,” says Noah.
THE African Blogtable brings together some of the top basketball minds from across the continent to answer some of the league’s most pressing questions ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.
The NBA launched their Christmas Day campaign, “The Gift of Game”, celebrating the timeless tradition and magic of holiday hoops which will this year see five games for the 16th consecutive season on December 25.
Games will reach fans across the world in more than 200 countries and territories including Africa. The 76th edition of the NBA on Christmas Day will see Golden State Milwaukee Bucks vs. New York Knicks, Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics vs. L.A. Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns.
All five games will air live on ESPN, Canal + and NBA League Pass, while SABC (South Africa), ZAP (Angola/Mozambique), NTV (Kenya), Afrosport TV, NTA, Silverbird, TVC and ITV (Nigeria) and Clouds (Tanzania) will air a showdown between Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors and Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets at 21:30 CAT.
In the spirit of the Christmas Day brand campaign, The Gift of Game, what gift has basketball granted you?
Which Christmas Day matchups are you looking forward to?
LeBron James will lead the Lakers against Jayson Tatum’s Celtics. Pictures: Getty Images
Manyehlisa Lehohla & Sindiswa Mabunda, The Big Tip Off (South Africa)
Manyehlisa Lehohla: Basketball gifted me the dream of starting a media platform, The Big Tip Off. For the last five years, The Big Tip Off has been one of the leading contributors of basketball content on the African continent. We have featured NBA Academy Africa and great servants of African basketball like Thierry Kita Matungulu and Emmanuel Mavomo. One of our most significant achievements is covering the Basketball Africa League’s (BAL) Nile Conference in Cairo, Egypt, earlier in the year. We have also started providing up-and-coming content producers a chance to exhibit their writing skills. And as operations grow, we hope to pass that gift on to others.
Sindiswa Mabunda: I’m excited about the stacked Christmas Day schedule, which is always a great way to end a day spent with family. I particularly look forward to the third match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Despite the Celtics having a better record and the best defensive rating in the league, their lack of depth will disappoint them down the stretch. The Lakers, on the other hand, have more scoring options beyond the arc and the ability to attack both sides of the ball. Led by Anthony Davis and James, who keeps raising the bar in his 21st season, the Lakers have been playing phenomenal basketball. When they’re in sync, they are almost unstoppable.
Alex Isaboke, Capital FM (Kenya)
Basketball has gifted me a lot especially in building up to this festive season: seeing the game I love open an NBA Africa office in my country Kenya was a delight. I will be able to see the game develop and more talent from the country have an opportunity to be discovered especially as the interest of the game continues to grow.
Secondly, the NBA In-Season Tournament was the best thing to happen to any basketball lover, that meant more games to enjoy and eventually seeing LeBron cement his ‘King’ status by adding another title!
A definite clash to watch out for is the Golden State Warriors vs Denver Nuggets. Both teams considered as the powerhouses of the West, it will be interesting to see who will help their team to glory. Will it be Steph Curry for the Warriors or reigning MVP Nikola Jokic? It will be a closely contested affair, but I will go with the Nuggets for the win because they are a young team; they will have home-court advantage and with Jokic’s performance expected to be a game-changer coupled by sharpshooter Jamal Murray – it will be good see them extend their recent dominance over the Warriors.
Basketball has provided a unique opportunity to dream. Growing up I took an interest in basketball in my teenage years which has fueled my desire as a journalist to be versatile. The excitement basketball has provided me over the years has contributed to my passion for staying up late at night to watch the NBA and I won’t have it any other way.
The Lakers won the In-Season Tournament but have since suffered a dip in form. Facing off against the Boston Celtics, 17-time NBA Champions, and long-term rivals, LeBron James has an opportunity to galvanize his team to make a statement against the title favorites on Christmas Day.
The Phoenix Suns vs Dallas Mavericks match-up provides an incredible spark of excitement with the offensive talents on display. The rivalry between Devin Booker and Luka Doncic makes this a tantalizing affair to end the Christmas Day slate. The Suns team has not lived up to the hype this season. But they have an opportunity to remind the world why they are among the favorites in the West against a resurgent Mavs.
Damas Sikuwabo, The New Times (Rwanda)
At a tender age, sports played a crucial role in my daily activities. Basketball has given me a whole career. I have had the chance to learn from the best, I have also had a chance to connect with some of the legends of the sport.
In a span of two years, I have had the opportunity to travel more than 10 times from Rwanda to other countries in the region and beyond. I have also won myself several accolades because of covering basketball.
I am looking forward to the Celtics and Lakers game because both clubs compete at a high level and share a long-standing history. Equally important, both teams are potential contenders in the East and West, respectively.
Joel Embiid has been phenomenal for the 76ers and he will be expected to lead past Jimmy Butler and the heat.
Mor Bassine Niang, Record (Senegal)
Basketball gifts me every day- it is a game that provides a lot of emotion. It’s always a pleasure to follow the games, Christmas or not. The greatest gift is to fully experience what you love. Basketball is Santa Claus every day. And that explains the love fans have for the sport. Personally, I am spoiled to have experienced for the past 15 years the atmosphere of the arenas in Senegal, Africa and the world. I can cite, as an example, the Basketball Africa League which offers its share of joy and great atmosphere.
I believe that the Boston – Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers – Miami Heat games will be exciting matchups. These two games will keep basketball fans in suspense given the quality of the squads. The Heat are in good shape and will be up against the 76ers who are 19-8. The Lakers have just come off winning the first NBA In-Season Tournament and the Celtics lead the East 21-6. Exciting player matchups to watch out for are Jimmy Butler vs Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum vs LeBron James. These are duels which I believe will light up the floor.
STORM Gilchrist has a distinguished family legacy in basketball. Walking the pathway laid by his legendary father, the teenager is prepared to take the mantle and fly to a different stratosphere.
The son of Craig Gilchrist, one of the South African game’s greats, has seen doors open for him this year. Firstly, he’s completed another season in the Basketball National League (BNL) with the team his father played for and now coaches, KwaZulu-Natal Marlins.
Gilchrist also got a chance to learn from NBA elite players and coaches at the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp, which ended on Monday. Soon, he will bid farewell to South African shores to further his game in the United States of America.
The St Charles College pupil reflected on the journey that first saw him start as a rugby player, a sport his father and grandfather also played. Gilchrist explained to The Big Tip Off that while he had a “deep love” for rugby, it was basketball that would eventually steal his heart.
“Most people don’t know this. My father played for the under-19 Sharks (rugby) team, and my grandfather also played for a bit. So, it’s in the genes. I have a deep love for that sport (rugby), but I have a deeper love for basketball,” said the 18-year-old.
Once he committed to basketball in grade eight, Gilchrist’s father showed him the ropes. The road would, however, present some challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic and a knee injury stalled his progress.
“I had my first practice with my father as the head coach. That is when I thought, ‘this (basketball) is going to be lots of fun’. But Covid-19 ruined a good part of the season. Unfortunately, when we were allowed to play sports again, I blew out my knee in my grade 10 year playing rugby,” said Gilchrist. “I tore my MCL (medial collateral ligament) and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), and I was out for another 14 months.”
Storm Gilchrist says his father is a key mentor for him in basketball. Picture: The BTO
Gilchrist credits the support structures around him for providing morale support during the recovery stages.
“It (recovery) was not fun. I was in a weak mental state, but thanks to my friends, I pushed through. My mom and dad played an important role, so I am thankful to them too,” said the Marlins centre.
Hooping with the Marlins
Now a matriculant, Gilchrist has grown with the Marlins and helped them make it to the semi-finals of the BNL. While the Marlins fell to eventual champions, the Cape Town Tigers, he enjoyed his match-up against Pieter Prinsloo (Tigers captain).
He also felt that because of his youth, many underestimated him throughout the BNL season.
“It is one of the most fun experiences I have ever had. Going into games, everyone thought, ‘he is just a kid, and we can push him around’, but I locked in and played hard defence. So, I caught them off guard,” said Gilchrist. “I have so much respect for Pieter. He wants to mentor me to become like him. He’s played (NCAA) Division 1. He is a true professional. So, it was a learning experience for me.”
Gilchrist discussed his father’s impact in his debut BNL season: “It’s a great privilege, especially having my father as my coach. He has so much knowledge, especially in the position I play. When something doesn’t go right for me, he helps me keep my cool. He taught me how to get to the rim and when to kick out. He shares a lot of knowledge with me.”
Gilchrist’s game IQ has probably shot up 10-fold after participating at the Basketball Without Borders camp in Johannesburg. Gleaning insights from superstar players like Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) and respected coaches like Darvin Ham (LA Lakers) is an opportunity of a lifetime.
The youngster recalled that he had been on holiday when, close to midnight and in deep slumber, he was woken up by the life-changing call.
“We had just won the St John’s tournament and were on holiday to Scottburgh Beach. The St Stithians coach (Roland Andingdou) called me at 11 at night, and he goes, ‘I just put your name through to go to the BWB. You must be ready for the call’,” said Gilchrist. “I was excited, scared … And experienced every feeling known. I did not know what to expect.”
“Now that I’m here, I have made friends with players from countries like South Sudan and Nigeria. We have been teaching them some South African slang during the team building exercises.”
He also shared some of his reflections after learning from some of the best in the business.
“Looking at some aspects of my game, I feel, I did not shoot the ball well. So, that area needs work. I think I got better on defence, especially after working with Bam Adebayo. He is one of the best defenders in the NBA,” said Gilchrist. “I learnt how to close out without contesting the ball too much. He taught me a lot of defensive tricks.
“Coach Ham can read the game so well. He can draw up a play from his head because of what he sees on the court. Watching him draw up a play and trying to understand how he came up with it was a fun experience.”
Chasing the American basketball dream
After the BWB experience, Gilchrist will have little time to put his feet up and relax. In just a few days, he’ll head to San Antonio (United States), on an eight-month scholarship to further develop his game at the Strength N Motion Academy.
Storm Gilchrist says he enjoyed bonding with other campers at BWB.
Gilchrist says the academy scouted him after he posted some highlight reels in the digital space.
“I posted a highlight reel on YouTube. So they scouted me from there. They told me they needed a big guy who could rebound and score. I am so excited because here in South Africa, you train three times a week,” said Gilchrist. “Over there, I’ll be training three times daily and playing against nearby colleges. I feel that by the time I come back, I’ll be a better player, and I could become a professional.”
Having honed his skills from some great minds of the game, starting with his father and exceptional NBA players and coaches, Gilchrist goes to the spiritual home of basketball with refined skill sets. He is far from the finished product, but his trajectory is promising. Storm Gilchrist is a name to look out for in the future.
