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A stunning page of basketball history was written a few days ago on the beautiful island of Crete. The basketball team of Mali won the 2nd place and silver medal at the 2019 FIBA U19 Basketball World Championships.
That’s the first time ever where an African team made the final of a world basketball competition at any age limit. There’s also a huge progress for African basketball, as before this remarkable success no team from this continent has ever made it even to the quarterfinals and grabbed any better than the 11th place on a 16-team tournament!
This boost is something like a correction to the world basketball establishment: Africans didn’t discover basketball late to have so poor results. They simply lack the funds, in some cases, the patriotism to persuade world class stars wear the national colors when they are no more teenage boys, but grown up men.
So far, African national basketball teams are adding to the world competition folklore, but nothing more: Except of some sparse victories vs. European and Latin American teams, reminding the huge talent they have, no Africans have made an impact to the world performance stage.
That’s bizarre, as currently there are more than 20 African-born basketball players earning their salary in NBA, the highest competitive basketball league in the world. Starting from ferocious Cameroonians center Joel Embiid and veteran forward Luc Mbah a Moute, Africans in the NBA include four from Nigeria, three from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Senegal, two from Mali, one from Angola and Tunisia. In addition, there are more than 30 competing in the NBA Development League and the Euroleague and more than 100 playing at various NCAA Division I colleges and universities.
Guess how many of these star players play regularly for their national teams: Nearly none. The reasons are mainly two: NBA teams regularly demand huge amounts of money as insurance, in case of an injury of their stars during their international duties. And many first-class basketball players are not keen in joining a group of much lower-class teammates (and coaches) just to participate in an international competition like the African Basketball Championship.
Mali could be a lightening exception to this bleak basketball reality. After they have proved to all that if they stay united, they are able to produce best results, they just have to follow this rule in the future.
Even in this year it wasn’t easy. The biggest star of the team, 17-year-old center Oumar Ballo, is already playing college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and is scouted by the best NBA teams. Twin brothers Foysseyni and Hassan Drame have moved to New York, USA. Astonishing guard Siriman Kanoute and fellow Martin Diakite play currently in French clubs and power forward Abdoul Karim Coulibaly is a pro some years now in Iranian clubs.
Will they join the Malian national team in the near future? Nobody knows for sure. But if they do, with the addition of experienced forwards Sagaba Konate and Cheikh Diallo, they could make an impact also as men, not just juniors. And not only for their country, but for the continent as well: A men’s team success could persuade African stars to remember their roots and make world basketball even more exciting.
