NBA and NBPA Announce Second NBA Africa Game This Summer in Johannesburg

The National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association announced today that NBA Africa Game 2017, the NBA’s second game in Africa, will take place Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The announcement was made at the annual NBA Africa All-Star Luncheon in New Orleans by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts and NBA Vice President and Managing Director for Africa, Amadou Gallo Fall. They were joined by NBA Africa Game 2017 players Bismack Biyombo (Orlando Magic; Democratic Republic of the Congo), C.J. McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers; U.S.) and Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver Nuggets; Democratic Republic of the Congo).

Biyombo, the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft and a member of Team Africa in NBA Africa Game 2015, will join 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Mudiay on Team Africa. McCollum, the 2015-16 Kia NBA Most Improved Player, will play for Team World.

“NBA players are among the most popular athletes in the world, and we’re excited to continue the game’s global growth with this second game in Africa,” Roberts said. “Our players remain committed to growing the game on the continent, and this showcase will continue to build on the positive momentum we generated with the historic first game in 2015.”

The game, which will take place following the 15th edition of Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa, will once again feature a Team Africa vs. Team World format, and will be played in support of UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and SOS Children’s Villages South Africa (SOSCVSA). Team Africa will be comprised of players from Africa and second generation African players, and Team World will be comprised of players from the rest of the world. The game will air live in sub-Saharan Africa on Kwesé’s TV, Internet and mobile platforms, including Kwesé Free Sports, Kwesé Sports, select free-to-air channels, Kwesesports.com and the Kwesé app.

The sold-out NBA Africa Game 2015, the first NBA game on the continent, took place Aug. 1, 2015, at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg, and was played in support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Africa, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and SOSCVSA.