MIES (Switzerland)/JOHANNESBURG (South Africa) - The Basketball Without Borders Africa returns to Senegal for the second time with the 17th edition of the annual camp featuring 60 top boys and girls from 29 countries - with a quintet of players with NBA Academy Africa experience, Thierno Mamoudou Sylla of Guinea and South African Joshua Ozabor among the players to watch.

The BWB Africa camp is back in Senegal for the first time since 2010 and the young talents from the continent will converge on the NBA Academy Africa in Saly and at the Dakar Arena in Dakar from July 28-31. The players will receive elite on- and off-court lessons from former and current NBA players, including Joel Embiid, Chris Bosh, Malcolm Brogdon, Luol Deng, Ed Davis, Gorgui Dieng, Luc Mbah a Moute, Tacko Fall, Makhtar Ndiaye, Boniface Ndong and NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo.

NBA Africa Academy experience

Five of the players in the camp have collected experience in the NBA Africa Academy. Nigerians Oluwatobi Samuel Ariyibi and Joshua Ojianwuna, Mohab Yasser Abdalatif of Egypt and the Senegalese duo of Cheikh Sow and Babacar Faye played together for the NBA Academy Africa at the recent NBA Academy Games in Atlanta. Abdalatif averaged 10.8 points including games of 24 and 22 points while also dishing out 2.3 assists. Ariyibi meanwhile averaged 10.6 points. Ariyibi, Ojianwuna and Faye also participated in the Next Generation program at the NCAA Final Four in Minneapolis, Minnesota from April 6-8.

Thierno Mamoudou Sylla, Guinea

One of the few campers with FIBA experience is Sylla, who helped Guinea to fourth place at the FIBA U16 African Championship 2019, the country’s best-ever showing in the competition after taking ninth place in 2009. Sylla averaged 10.3 points to go with 10.1 rebounds - ranked fifth in the tournament, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals.

Joshua Ozabor, South Africa

Ozabor is one of two South Africans, along with Jan Cloete Oelofse. Ozabor was born to Nigerian parents in South Africa and he is a former Jr. NBA Africa Festival champion. Ozabor was captain of the Johannesburg team that defeated Senegal 45-39 in the Jr. NBA Africa Festival Final in 2017 and took home the MVP trophy of the first competition. Ozabor has since moved to the United States and plays at the IMG Academy in Florida. 

Others to watch

Two other names to watch are Ngoufanke Anthony Simo from Cameroon and Christ Doua of Ivory Coast. Neither have played internationally yet and the BWB Africa will be their first showcase. Both are great athletes and good players with Doua having a very big body at about 6ft 9in (206cm) and being a great rebounder and a smart player. Ngoufanke meanwhile has a good basketball IQ and dominates above the rim.

FIBA