NBA Africa and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) have proudly announced the launch of the Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience, a groundbreaking youth development initiative aimed at promoting physical and mental well-being through basketball. The program was unveiled today at the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) in Nairobi with the refurbishment of two outdoor basketball courts and a basketball clinic for 150 boys and girls aged 16 and under.
The Basketball Experience program will feature weekly sessions focusing on both basketball skills and life lessons, designed to educate Kenyan youth on the importance of physical and mental health. This initiative builds upon the success of similar programs in Casablanca, Morocco, and Lagos, Nigeria, leveraging basketball as a platform to foster social inclusion and inspire secondary school students to become change-makers in their communities.
The refurbished courts at KAS are expected to serve over a thousand young athletes from surrounding communities, offering them enhanced facilities to practice and play. The unveiling ceremony was attended by notable figures including French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet, AFD Kenya Country Director Bertrand Willocquet, NBA Kenya Senior Director and Country Operations Lead Michael Finley, and NBA Africa Director of Basketball Operations Kita Matungulu.
Bertrand Willocquet highlighted the collaborative nature of the initiative, stating, “At AFD, we are team players. We strongly believe that greater impacts can be reached when we work together and connect. The NBA was our first partner in the field of sport for development. Together, we have launched the Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience program that seeks to promote youth empowerment and improve access to sport for all.”
Michael Finley echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the program’s dual focus on accessibility and elite talent development. “The launch of Jr. NBA & AFD Basketball Experience reflects our commitment to making basketball more accessible to Kenyan youth and teaching them about the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle. Our selection of the KAS as the venue also speaks to our commitment to developing elite talent in Kenya. We thank AFD for sharing that commitment and look forward to positively impacting the boys and girls who participate in this program in the months and years to come.”
The Jr. NBA, the NBA’s global youth basketball program, has made a significant impact across Africa, reaching more than 170,000 youths last year. The program aims to teach fundamental basketball skills and core values at the grassroots level, enhancing the youth basketball experience for players, coaches, and parents alike.
