Cameroon’s Joel Embiid wins NBA MVP, as Basketball Africa League ramps up
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Joel Embiid of Cameroon has won his first NBA MVP. He averaged 33.1 points to win his second scoring title, beating Doncic and Lillard into second and third place respectively.
Embiid was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon. An accomplished volleyball player, he only took up basketball at the age of 15. He was discovered at a basketball camp by NBA player and a fellow Yaoundé resident, Luc Mbah a Moute. At the encouragement of his mentor, Embiid moved to the US at the age of 16 to devote himself to becoming a professional basketball player.
Basketball in Africa
With African players like Joel Embiid making an ever-increasing impact on the NBA, the appeal of the sport in Africa continues to grow. The premier continental basketball competition, the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is currently underway in Egypt.
Playoff spots from the Nile Conference yet to be completed. With games already completed in the Sahara Conference, the playoffs and finals spots that will be held in Kigali, Rwanda from the 20th to the 27th of May 2023.
BAL is a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). The new professional league features 12 club teams from across Africa. The BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA has organized in Africa and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America. It features teams from Mozambique, Guinea, Rwanda, Tunisia, Angola, Senegal, Egypt, South Africa and Uganda.
