African Representation at National Basketball Association (NBA) 2K26 Summer League 2025
Six former NBA Academy Africa players
23 coaches from 15 African countries as part of the Africa Coaches Program
Three referees from the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season
The participation of these players, coaches and referees is part of NBA Africa and the BAL's commitment to developing talent and expertise throughout the African basketball ecosystem and contributing to the continued growth of the game across the continent.
Below are storylines about the African players, coaches, and referees participating in this year's Summer League, which will air live in Africa on NBA League Pass, the league's premium live game subscriptions service available via the NBA App:
PLAYERS
Six former NBA Academy Africa players have joined Summer League rosters:
Ibou Badji (Denver Nuggets; Senegal)
Jean-Jacques Boissy (Milwaukee Bucks; Senegal)
Ulrich Chomche (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon), who was selected 57 th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Nelly Joseph Junior (Atlanta Hawks; Nigeria)
Khaman Maluach (Phoenix Suns; South Sudan; ties to Uganda), who was selected 10 th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, becoming the highest-drafted former NBA Academy Africa and Basketball Africa League (BAL) player ever.
Babacar Sané (Minnesota Timberwolves; Senegal)
Three players who participated in the 2025 BAL season will compete in Summer League:
Boissy – 2025 BAL champion and MVP with Alahli Tripoli (Libya), Boissy averaged 18.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 1.9 assists per game.
Aliou Diarra (Mali; Dallas Mavericks) – Two-time Dikembe Mutombo BAL Defensive Player of the Year (2023 and 2025) and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA G League International Draft, Diarra will join the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft – Cooper Flagg – on the Mavericks' Summer League roster.
Sané – 2025 All-BAL Second Team as a member of US Monastir (Tunisia).
COACHES:
Twenty-three coaches from 15 African countries have been selected to participate in Summer League as part of the Africa Coaches Program, which is part of NBA Africa and the BAL's ongoing commitment to developing coaching talent across the continent. The 23 coaches (full list below) include:
Four who previously played in the BAL: two-time BAL champion with Zamalek (2021) and US Monastir (2022) Solo Diabate (Bucks; Côte d'Ivoire), 2024 BAL champion with Petro de Luanda Carlos Morais (New York Knicks; Angola), as well as Marawan Sarhan (Miami Heat; Egypt) and Mostafa Kejo (Los Angeles Lakers; Egypt), both of whom competed for Al Ahly (Egypt) during the 2024 BAL season.
Two female coaches: Fenan Atobrhan (Eritrea; Houston Rockets) and Ruth Bibeyi (Gabon; Indiana Pacers). Atobrhan served as an assistant coach with APR during the 2025 BAL season when the team finished third, its best-ever finish in the BAL. Bibeyi served as head coach of Espoir Basket Club (Gabon) during the 2023 Road to the BAL qualifying tournament, was part of the coaching staff at the 2025 BAL Combine, and has served as a mentor as part of BAL4HER, the league's platform for advancing gender equality in the African sports ecosystem.
REFEREES
Three referees who have officiated in the BAL will serve as Summer League officials: Claudio Eiuba (Angola), Vitalis Gode (Kenya) and Erick Otieno (Kenya).
Please see below for the complete list of African coaches participating in the NBA 2K26 Summer League 2025 as part of the Africa Coaches Program:
Name
Country
NBA Team
Lamine Krideche
Algeria
Cleveland Cavaliers
Carlos Morais
Angola
New York Knicks
Francois Enyegue
Cameroon
Charlotte Hornets
Antonio Moreira
Cape Verde
Atlanta Hawks
Solo Diabate
Côte D'Ivoire
Milwaukee Bucks
Pierrot Ilunga
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Detroit Pistons
Mostafa Kejo
Egypt
Los Angeles Lakers
Marawan Sarhan
Egypt
Miami Heat
Wael Badr
Egypt
Portland Blazers
Haytham Kamel
Egypt
Utah Jazz
Fenan Atobrhan
Eritrea
Houston Rockets
Ruth Bibeyi
Gabon
Indiana Pacers
Reda Rhalimi
Morocco
Denver Nuggets
Akil Driss
Morocco
Toronto Raptors
Mohammed Abdulrahman
Nigeria
Washington Wizards
Prosper Naci
Rwanda
Philadelphia 76ers
Abdallah Mbaye
Senegal
Chicago Bulls
Matar Mbodji
Senegal
Dallas Mavericks
Samba Fall
Senegal
San Antonio Spurs
Moratiemang Jr. Mmoloke
South Africa
Boston Celtics
Igor Lunnemann
South Africa
New Orleans Pelicans
Lindokuhle Sibankulu
South Africa
Sacramento Kings
Amine Rzig
Tunisia
LA Clippers
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
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