The NBA made an advancement in its global expansion efforts Saturday, when the league hosted its first-ever Africa Game in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The exhibition game saw Team Africa take on Team World in front of about 4,000 spectators at the Ellis Park Arena as part of commissioner Adam Silver’s attempts to further the sport of basketball around the world.
Taking the floor for Team Africa was UCLA basketball alumnus Luc Mbah a Moute, who played three seasons as a Bruin and averaged 8.7 points with 7.2 rebounds, appearing in three straight Final Fours. Mbah a Moute is royalty in his native Cameroon, where his father, Camille Moute a Bidias, is chieftain of the village Bia Messe.
Mbah a Moute came to the United States to play basketball as part of the program Basketball Without Borders, which sponsors young talent abroad. The Philadelphia 76er and Cameroonian national team player now works with the program he greatly benefitted from.
On returning to Africa, Mbah a Moute said in an interview with NBA.com that he wanted to provide children with an example of how they can succeed through the sport of basketball. It only took seconds for the Cameroonian prince to prove his point, as he opened the international showcase with an emphatic slam dunk following tipoff.
Team Africa, coached by Gregg Popovich, ultimately fell to Team World, led by Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul, by a score of 101-97. But the game’s impact didn’t end at the final buzzer. Silver said he plans for more events in Africa, aiming to host a preseason game and then hopefully a regular-season game on the continent.
Compiled by Claire Fahy, Bruin Sports senior staff.