Senegalese named president of Basketball Africa league
NBA Vice President and Managing Director for Africa Amadou Gallo Fall (right) with Neale Hill, Ford South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa Director Sales and Services. He was named Tuesday by the league as president of the Basketball Africa League. PHOTO | COURTESY |
What you need to know:
- The NBA has expanded African development efforts so that this year, the league expects to reach more than 2.5 million children in 21 African nations.
- Fall was crucial in the 2017 launch of the NBA Academy Africa, which works with elite prospects and has sent players to US college programs.
NEW YORK
Amadou Gallo Fall, the NBA's managing director and vice president for Africa, was named Tuesday by the league as president of the Basketball Africa League, a 12-team circuit set to debut next year.
Fall, who is from Senegal, assumes his new duties immediately as the search begins for his replacement.
"Amadou's efforts to grow basketball and the NBA's business across Africa have been extraordinary," NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said. "He's an ideal choice to lead the Basketball Africa League.
"This historic initiative will not only further enhance the game in Africa but also provide new opportunities in media, technology and infrastructure on the continent."
The NBA announced the creation of the new league in partnership with world governing body Fiba in February.
Fall joined the NBA in January 2010 and helped open an NBA office in Johannesburg, South Africa in May 2010.
He has developed partnerships and talent development initiatives while overseeing major NBA growth efforts in Africa, including NBA Africa games in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
The NBA has expanded African development efforts so that this year, the league expects to reach more than 2.5 million children in 21 African nations.
Fall was crucial in the 2017 launch of the NBA Academy Africa, which works with elite prospects and has sent players to US college programs.
