Four Teams Set To Begin Their Journey To Victory As Season 5 Of The BAL Begins Today

The Basketball Africa League (BAL) is set to kick off its fifth season today, in Rabat, Morocco—a historic moment as the league plays its inaugural games on Moroccan soil. With an exciting format and a roster of high-profile and emerging talents, this season promises to blend international flair with the energy of African basketball.

Competition Format

Conferences and Group Phase: The 12 participating teams are divided into three conferences—Kalahari, Sahara, and Nile. Each conference comprises four teams that will compete in a double round-robin format during the group phase. This setup ensures that each team plays every other team in its conference twice, totalling 12 games per conference. Notably, during the group phase, the host country’s team will feature in every game day to foster local support and enthusiasm.

Playoffs and Finals: Following the group phase, the top eight teams across the conferences will advance to the playoffs. This stage includes four seeding games, culminating in an eight-game, single-elimination tournament. For the first time, the playoffs and finals will be held at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, from June 6 to June 14, 2025. This marks a significant change, as previous finals were hosted in Kigali, Rwanda.

The excitement kicks off with a bang as the season opener features Mali’s Stade Malien taking on Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers, setting the stage for an electrifying start. The second game will see home favorites Fath Union Sport (FUS) Rabat clash with Egypt’s Al Ittihad Alexandria.

Spotlight on the Kalahari Conference

The Kalahari Conference, hosting four distinctive teams—FUS Rabat, Al Ittihad Alexandria, Stade Malien, and Rivers Hoopers—brings with it narratives of both seasoned leadership and bold, new talent.

Faith Union Sport (FUS) Rabat – Morocco

FUS Rabat enters the season with a strong foundation, retaining much of last year’s core roster while making a few key tweaks. The departures of Aliou Diarra and Kendrick Brown have been offset by strategic signings: newcomers Mouhamadou Diagne (Senegal), Nisre Mimi Zouzoua (Côte d’Ivoire), Mike Fofana (Côte d’Ivoire), and sharpshooter Soufiane Kourdou (Morocco) add fresh firepower. Kourdou, known for his explosive scoring—averaging 18.6 points per game at the 2017 Arab Nations Cup and later securing a FIBA AfroCan title in 2023—promises to light up the scoreboard. Returning guard Johnathan Jordan, who dazzled fans last season with averages of 14.7 points and 4.8 assists, remains a pivotal playmaker. Additionally, 2017 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup MVP Ayoub Nouhi brings international experience and finesse to the mix.

Al Ittihad Alexandria – Egypt

Making their debut in the BAL, Al Ittihad Alexandria is determined to make an immediate impact. The team’s roster shines with high-caliber talent, including South Sudanese Olympian Majok Machar Deng. Deng, who made waves at the 2024 Paris Olympics and earned All-BAL Second Team honours last season with a notable 24-point performance in the BAL Finals, exemplifies the experience and leadership the squad needs. Complementing him is two-time BAL champion and 2021 Defensive Player of the Year Anas Mahmoud, whose tenure with Zamalek and Al Ahly underpins Egypt’sstoried BAL legacy. Al Ittihad is poised to continue Egypt’s tradition of debut-season success, mirroring the championship-winning debuts of Zamalek and Al Ahly.

Stade Malien – Mali

Stade Malien returns for their second BAL campaign after a commendable third-place finish in Season 3. The team bolsters its lineup with the return of guard Cartier Diarra. Diarra, a Malian-American who made a splash in Season 4 with the Cape Town Tigers—where his play helped push the team into the semifinals—averaged 8.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in his debut season. Joining him is French-Senegalese centre Landing Sané, whose 13-year career across top European leagues in France and Spain is expected to significantly reinforce Stade Malien’s front court.

Rivers Hoopers – Nigeria

Nicknamed “The Kings Men,” Rivers Hoopers from Port Harcourt are on a mission to build on last season’s historic third-place finish—the best-ever for a Nigerian team in BAL history. Under the tutelage of head coach Ogoh Odaudu, the 2024 BAL Coach of the Year and former Nigerian national team player, the team is loaded with both experience and promising new blood. Guard Kelvin Amayo returns for his third season, having delivered standout performances with both Stade Malien and the Hoopers. His averages of 16 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists speak volumes about his leadership on the court. Meanwhile, emerging talent Ifeanyi Koko, a 20-year-old who recently earned his first national team cap in the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers, is set to inject youthful exuberance into the squad.

Elevating the Next Generation

In a continued commitment to nurturing young talent, the BAL Elevate program integrates four NBA Academy Africa student-athletes into the Kalahari Conference:

• Yakhya Diop (Senegal; FUS Rabat): Diop’s previous run with the Cape Town Tigers saw him advance to the BAL Playoffs and Finals.
• Matong Akech Malek Muorwel (South Sudan; Al Ittihad): A promising prospect bringing fresh energy to Al Ittihad.
• David Ugonna Ike (Nigeria; Rivers Hoopers): Returning to the Hoopers after an impressive debut season in the Elevate program, where he was honoured as the 2024 BWB Africa camp MVP and Defensive MVP.
• Ousseynou Sambe (Senegal; Stade Malien): Set to contribute significantly to Stade Malien’s campaign.

These young athletes are not only poised to make immediate impacts but also represent the future of African basketball, ensuring that the league continues to evolve and innovate.

Honoring Dikembe Mutombo and Gender Equity in Sports

In a significant tribute to one of basketball’s greatest defenders, the 2025 BAL season will honour NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo. Throughout the season, players will wear a “DM55” patch on their jerseys and select warm-up gear, and there will be moments of silence ahead of each conference group phase. Mutombo, a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer served as the NBA’s first global ambassador following his retirement in 2009. His impact on the game of basketball, particularly in Africa, continues to resonate, and his legacy will be celebrated throughout the season.

The BAL also makes a bold step in promoting gender equity in sports with the appointment of Chiney Ogwumike as the first female ambassador of the Basketball Africa League. A two-time WNBA All-Star and ESPN analyst, Ogwumike’s appointment was announced by BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall during the Africa Luncheon at All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. Her role as a BAL ambassador will focus on empowering women and girls across Africa, helping to expand the league’s initiatives aimed at gender inclusion. Ogwumike is scheduled to lead a series of events and clinics throughout the season, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of gender equity within African sports.

Ogwumike joins a prestigious group of African NBA legends who are also ambassadors of the league, including 2011 NBA champion Ian Mahinmi (Benin), two-time NBA All-Star Joakim Noah (Cameroon), two-time NBA All-Star and South Sudan Basketball Federation President Luol Deng, and former NBA player and G League executive Pops Mensah-Bonsu (Ghana).

The 2025 season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is set to be a defining chapter in the growth of basketball on the African continent. With its expansion into Morocco and a dynamic competition format, the league is elevating the sport’s profile globally. But the BAL’s impact extends beyond the court: by honouring Dikembe Mutombo’s incredible legacy and appointing Chiney Ogwumike as its first female ambassador, the league is also playing a crucial role in shaping the conversation around gender equity in sports. This season, the BAL will not only showcase top-tier basketball but also exemplify how sports can drive cultural and social change across Africa and beyond.