Sources suggest that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's BAL franchise plans may also include a new Africa-based development league. Insiders also claim that the NBA and FIBA aim to strengthen African basketball infrastructure through merit-based competition, complementing the upcoming expansion of the Basketball Africa League.
Last Updated on
October 12, 2025
On September 24, 2025, in New York, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver met with Michael R. Bloomberg at the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum. During the event, Silver announced that the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is restructuring its competition and intends to sell franchises to establish 12 permanent teams.
This news brought African basketball back into focus, as several content creators and podcasts, such as Swish Nomads and XBall Africa, published thought pieces and episodes that either support or question the plans. Even our very own Staff Writer, Elango Mbotona had A LOT to say about the plans.
However, AfricaBasket has been made aware of unverified reports that Adam Silver's BAL plans are part of a broader strategy. Sources suggest that the NBA and FIBA are in talks to create a development league (akin to the G League) to prepare teams/clubs for the new BAL format.
This is due to the belief that the economics of Africa's current cross-continent basketball market might not support twelve new franchises.
Interestingly, this new league, unlike the proposed new BAL format, will operate as a merit-based qualification competition and might adopt the Road to BAL's format.
The proposed development league will operate alongside the new BAL format, supporting clubs in enhancing their internal organisation and structures to ultimately prepare them for integration into the expanded new BAL system.
However, this raises several questions, two in particular:
It's important to note that this is presently regarded as an early "concept" rather than a finalised plan actively pursued by all involved parties.
Additionally, since the introduction of BAL4HER, a new initiative by the Basketball Africa League focused on empowering and developing young women basketball players and leaders across Africa, there are ongoing discussions on how to enhance the Women's Basketball League of Africa (WBLA).
Although no official press release has yet been circulated, the message is that there is no internal basketball conflict between the NBA and FIBA, particularly between NBA Africa and FIBA Africa. All parties are collaborating on a long-term plan to enhance basketball across the continent.
[Photography Courtesy of Road to BAL/FIBA]
