Original Story Published by: Marc J. Spears for The Undefeated
Photo Source: © Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images
(Above) Dikembe Mutombo said he was the first player to ask NBA commissioner Adam Silver to come to Africa.
Dikembe Mutombo and the Basketball World Celebrate a New NBA League
CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – An emotional Dikembe Mutombo hugged NBA commissioner Adam Silver and, in his raspy voice, said: “You made my dreams come true.”
The realized dream was Silver announcing the arrival of the NBA-driven Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2020. Silver, who described himself as a “tireless advocate for Africa,” made the announcement at NBA Africa’s annual luncheon during NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday. It is the NBA’s first professional league outside of North America.
“It’s a big celebration. It is a dream come true for all of us,” Mutombo, a Democratic Republic of the Congo native and Basketball Hall of Famer, told The Undefeated. “I was fortunate enough to play this game and dreamed of something like this happening in the continent. Today, we see that. I don’t have to explain the importance of it to myself.
“I was the first player to ask commissioner Silver to come to Africa. We were trying to find a way to grow the game on the continent. Now, the commissioner made it happen with the league. No more just going and playing a [exhibition] game. This is great.”
A long list of notables was on hand for the special announcement, including NBA legend and Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan; Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning; FIBA Africa executive director Alphonse Bilé; Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri; NBA vice president & managing director, NBA Africa Amadou Fall; CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer; Hornets forward Bismack Biyombo; Raptors forward OG Anunoby; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie; Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum; National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts; NBA deputy commissioner and CEO Mark Tatum; two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike; Hornets president and COO Fred Whitfield; and actor Chris Tucker.
To read the full article, visit The Undefeated.
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