The NBA's Nairobi office is here ! 🇰🇪🏀

I’m in Nairobi for the NBA’s office launch and that prompted me to look into Kenya’s basketball landscape. 🇰🇪🏀 

Let’s be real, a lot of us think first of long-distance running when thinking of sports in Kenya 👟.

🥇 🏟 The country ranked first African country at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics with 10 medals has been dominating long-distance running
In international competition since the 1980s. Beyond the high-altitude and physiology of Kenyan athletes that many have pointed as factors to this extraordinary success, we must also consider the contribution of the private sector in facilitating the country's dominance. Companies in the telecoms (Safaricom PLC) and banking sectors (Absa Bank Kenya) have made a great effort in backing national teams and the planning of local and international competitions.

But let’s talk Kenyan basketball !

The Kenyan Basketball Premier League was established in the late 80s and has been dominated by the Kenya Ports Authority team (9 titles and counting!)

🔍 What’s so interesting about Kenya’s basketball, compared to other African countries, is the involvement of the private sector :

Out of the 12 clubs listed as participating in the Kenyan Basketball Premier League:

📌 5 teams are affiliated to university programs
📌 2 of these corporate-owned teams are affiliated to banks Equity Bank Limited and Absa Bank Kenya (Barclays used to own a team
📌 2 are affiliated with State agencies or State-affiliated entities (the Ports Authority, the National Security Fund and the Kenya Defence Forces)

This new season, a new force has emerged in the Nairobi City Thunder (love the name!) ⚡️. The media call it Kenya's Man City of Basketball.

The team was acquired by Twende Sports, an East-African operating sports advisory and youth sports program company. In the off-season, Twende contributed in revamping the team’s basketball operations as well as marketing and merchandising.

📲 The team now counts already 3000 followers on Instagram and Facebook and is selling t-shirts and hats starting at USD 10 which can be paid for on the online store via mobile money or credit card. Talk about a blueprint in building a successful sports franchise 👏🏾 !

There's more on the business of basketball in Kenya that I'll look into while I'm in the country so keep your eyes on #AfricaScores for more insights.