South African ballers shine at BWB Camp
The Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Africa Camp 2025, which was held in Rwanda, recently concluded at the BK Arena in Kigali, with 60 boys and girls participating in the camp.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) selected 60 boys and girls of high school age from 21 different countries in Africa to participate in the 21st BWB Africa camp, which took place from 23 to 26 August. This marked the inaugural occasion for the NBA and FIBA’s global basketball development and community outreach programme to be conducted in East Africa, following past editions held in Angola, Egypt, Senegal and South Africa.
Among the participants, three South Africans took part, including Siyabonga Mashaba from ESCA School Wanderers, who was selected as one of the top young and emerging athletes to represent the country at the BWB camp. Within the schools’ basketball scene, Mashaba is recognised as one of the elite young basketball players in South Africa and previously represented the nation at the Giants of Africa Festival, which took place from July to August in Rwanda.
The other two young athletes representing South Africa at the BWB camp were Enzokuhle Mweli and Liamisha Aboo.
Aboo, from Redhill School, was honoured with the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award, while Mweli, from the American International School in Johannesburg (AISJ), won the Three-Point Contest. The last South African to win the contest in the girls’ division was Suzy Whall in 2023 in Johannesburg. Additionally, Mweli was named in the camp’s boys’ All-Star Team that same year.
After the camp, Mweli told NBA Africa Media that the BWB camp was highly educational, productive and extremely exciting for him, as he had the opportunity to learn from both players and coaches who have extensive experience in the sport.
“Some of the learnings that I gained from the camp were that it takes more than what you do on the court to become a pro, but rather what you do off the court, how you treat others, how you pay attention to little details. These are some of the small things done off the court that translate to what you achieve on the court,” Mweli told NBA Africa.
He believes that he has improved not only as a player on the court but also off the court, by making new friends from different countries and learning how to play with various individuals. He has also learned how to adjust himself emotionally.
The campers had the honour of being mentored by Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings, 1996/97 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Kerry Kittles, 2005/06 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Marvin Williams, Charlotte Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee, Indiana Pacers Assistant Coach Lloyd Pierce, and Minnesota Timberwolves Assistant Coach Micah Nori.
Utah Jazz Vice President of Global Scouting Luca Desta (Ethiopia), Toronto Raptors Director of Global Scouting & International Affairs Patrick Engelbrecht (South Africa), President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches Patrick Hunt (Australia), and Philadelphia 76ers Vice President of Player Personnel Prosper Karangwa (Rwanda) acted as directors for the BWB Africa camp.
Additionally, Raptors Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Jonathan Lee and LA Clippers Director of Medical Services and Head Athletic Trainer Jasen Powell contributed as the Camp’s Sports Performance Coaches.
The players and coaches led the campers through a variety of activities, including movement efficiency drills, offensive and defensive skill stations, three-point contests, 5-on-5 games, and life skills and leadership development sessions.
During the camp, both players and coaches engaged in social responsibility initiatives, which included a wheelchair basketball clinic in partnership with the Rwandan Basketball Federation (FERWABA) and a clinic for 100 elderly women in collaboration with the international sport-for-development organisation Shooting Touch on Sunday, 24 August. Additionally, a coaching clinic and the Her Time to Play leadership workshop were conducted for the female campers on Monday, 25 August.
BWB Africa 2025 received support from Nike, a global partner of BWB since 2002.
Over the years, BWB has made an impact through its groundwork and continues to do so. Since 2001, BWB has reached over 4,600 participants from 144 countries and territories, with 142 former campers being drafted into the NBA and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) or signed as free agents.
Since the inaugural BWB Africa camp in 2003, 14 former campers have been selected to play in the NBA and WNBA, including Joel Embiid, the 2023 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player from the Philadelphia 76ers (Cameroon, BWB Africa 2011); Pascal Siakam, the 2019 NBA champion from the Indiana Pacers (Cameroon, BWB Africa 2012); and Khaman Maluach, the 2025 No. 10 overall pick from the Phoenix Suns (South Sudan with ties to Uganda, BWB Africa 2023).
Additionally, 72 former BWB Africa campers have appeared on the rosters of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) during the league’s first five seasons.
Awards
Girls All-Stars:
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- Fatoumata Sall (Senegal)
- Maimouna Traore (Mali)
- Tahina Rasata-Andriamasy (Madagascar)
- Couda Keita (Mali)
- Ines Boulboul (Morocco)
- Assitan Diarisso (Mali)
- Lala Toure (Mali)
- Malak Elhemaly (Egypt)
Boys All-Stars:
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- Mohamed Badiane (Senegal)
- Pape Moussa Diallo (Senegal)
- Sean Williams (Rwanda)
- Noah El Baze (Morocco)
- Rami Malek (Egypt)
- Belal Mabrouk (Egypt)
- Enzokuhle Mweli (South Africa)
- Almoustapha Hama Ide (Niger)
Three-Point Champion:
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- Girls: Malak Elhemaly (Egypt)
- Boys: Enzokuhle Mweli (South Africa)
B.J. Johnson Most Improved Player:
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- Girls: Alexandra Djonkou (Cameroon)
- Boys: Mohamed Niane (Senegal)
Defensive Most Valuable Player:
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- Girls: Malak Elhemaly (Egypt)
- Boys: Mohamed Badiane (Senegal)
Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award:
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- Girls: Liamisha Aboo (South Africa)
- Boys: Chibueze Okechukwu (Nigeria)
Most Valuable Player:
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- Girls: Maimouna Traore (Mali)
- Boys: Pape Moussa Diallo (Senegal)
