NBA shuts down its sole African academy, shifting training to Abu Dhabi

The NBA confirmed the shutdown of NBA Academy Africa, its only elite training hub on the continent, which opened in Senegal in 2018. Critics, including former performance adviser Michel Chikwanine and ex-head of academic planning Michael Abbott, argued the closure undermines confidence among African players and shows a business-first mindset. The league explained the decision as part of a global-development strategy, noting that similar facilities in Mexico and Australia have also been closed.

Training will now be consolidated at a new global academy slated for Abu Dhabi, while the NBA points to the Basketball Africa League and Basketball Without Borders camps as ongoing commitments to African talent. Graduates such as Cameroon's Ulrich Kamka Chomche, drafted in 2024, and South Sudan's Khaman Maluach, now with the Phoenix Suns, illustrate the academy’s past successes.