The Basketball Africa League - this year in its fourth season - will be the first held across three different conferences, and in four different host countries.
For the first time, the tournament will touch down in South Africa, where it will tip off on March 9 at Pretoria's SunBet Arena, as perennial also-rans Petro de Luanda face FUS Rabat.
The Kalahari Conference will run until March 17 before the BAL moves on to Cairo for the Nile Conference (April 19-27).
The last round-robin games will be at the Sahara Conference in Dakar (May 4-12) before the first ever seeded games, and subsequently the playoffs and final, in Kigali (May 24 - June 1).
Kalahari Conference (Pretoria, March 9-17)
Increased importance of BAL Elevate:
This is the third season of the BAL Elevate program, but given the level of the players involved, it is by far the most important to date.
The NBA Academy's top talents are more polished than ever, with some of them, like City Oilers' Khaman Maluach, heading into their third season playing with and against seasoned professionals.
Maluach, who started in the BAL at 15, is likely playing in his final season, having reclassified to the class of 2024, meaning the most likely path for him from here is one year in college before declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Meanwhile, Ulrich Chomche, who is with Rwanda's APR, is likely to be drafted in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft should he declare.
Maluach and Chomche are so impressive now that they will potentially be key players in this year's BAL, so they are worth factoring into any forecasts for the tournament.
Cape Town Tigers (South Africa)
How did they qualify? As winners of the East Division Elite 16 qualification tournament in Johannesburg in November.
History: Founded in 2019 by an American ownership group, the Cape Town Tigers saw their plans halted by COVID-19. However, they rebuilt and won the 2021 national championship.
The Tigers subsequently used home advantage to become the first South African team ever to secure qualification for the BAL and surprised many by reaching the quarter-finals.
In 2022, they steamrolled to another national title in more convincing fashion and won the East Division Elite 16 qualification tournament by beating Ferroviário da Beira - a club fast turning into one of their biggest rivals - in the final.
Once again reaching the BAL quarter-finals in 2023, they went on to retain their East Division title against Uganda's City Oilers at the end of the year.
Star man: Nathi Sibanyoni
Reasons for optimism: The Tigers' South African players, such as Samkelo Cele and Nathi Sibanyoni, are growing with experience and starting to take on a more pronounced role in the team. Playing in Pretoria will give them a boost supplied by an adoring home crowd.
Reasons for concern: The Kalahari Conference hosts did not look particularly convincing in their East Division qualification campaign. They won the championship, but on paper, they should have been able to do it more convincingly on home soil.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
Petro de Luanda (Angola)
How did they qualify? Automatically, as champions of Angola's Unitel Basket.
History: Established in 1976, Petro de Luanda's basketball team is one of many sporting outfits in a diverse institution which includes football and handball teams. They are second only to Primeiro de Agosto in overall Angolan Basketball League title wins.
Petro de Luanda's first national title came in 1989 and they dominated Angolan basketball in the early 1990s, winning the league in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995. Further triumphs followed in 1998 and 1999.
After a seven-year drought, Petro de Luanda won the league again in 2006, which was the same year in which they were crowned African champions for the first time. Fittingly, it was a 76-71 win over Primeiro de Agosto which earned Petro de Luanda their first FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup title.
After another league title in 2007, Petro's next came in 2011. In 2015, they repeated their 2006 Angolan and African double. Having beaten Primeiro de Agosto in the semi-finals, they saw off fellow local rivals Rec do Libolo 89-75 in the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup final.
Petro de Luanda's next league title came in 2019 and they have dominated nationally since. They were top of the table in 2020 when the league was called off due to COVID-19 and won the league in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
At the 2021 BAL, they finished third, losing to eventual champions Zamalek in the semi-finals before beating Rwandan host side Patriots to clinch bronze. In 2022, they went one step further, appearing in the final, where they suffered a heartbreaking defeat to US Monastir.
The 2023 season was widely believed to be the one in which Petro would finally clinch a BAL title and they began well as they went through the Nile Conference unbeaten, but they fell short in a semi-final upset to AS Douanes and lost to Stade Malien in the third-place playoff.
Star man: Carlos Morais
Reasons for optimism: After three semi-final appearances in a row, Petro are arguably the most consistent team in the BAL and can likely be counted on to be there or thereabout once again this season. Young Angola guard Aginaldo Neto will add youth to the mix and signal the start of a new era.
Reasons for concern: Neto aside, there are few talents coming through at Petro who are quite as dominant as former Toronto Raptors player Morais and his golden generation of Angolan basketball. Having fallen so close to success three times in a row, there will be a psychological barrier to overcome.
ESPN's prediction: Semi-finals
FUS Rabat (Morocco)
How did they qualify? As runners-up in the BAL West Division qualifying tournament in Abidjan. FUS beat Cameroon's FAP in the semi-finals to qualify, but Bangui edged them 92-90 in the final.
History: FUS Rabat, a multi-sport club in the Moroccan capital, was founded in 1946. Their first national basketball championship came 22 years later, in 1968.
Rabat soon became the dominant force in Moroccan basketball, winning six championships in the 1970s, four in the 1980s and another four in the 1990s. After further wins in 2001 and 2004, they endured a 19-year drought before getting back on top of the Division Excellence in 2023.
Star man: Aliou Diarra
Reasons for optimism: FUS Rabat is a club with historical pedigree and they fielded a strong group of players for qualifiers.
Reasons for concern: The defeat to Bangui raised questions over Rabat's preparedness to face Africa's top teams so soon after ending their 19-year domestic title drought.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
Dynamo BBC (Burundi)
How did they qualify? By the skin of their teeth in November's East Division qualifiers in Johannesburg, as they edged Madagascar's COSPN 79-78 in the decisive third-place playoff.
History: Founded in 1968, Dynamo have enjoyed success over the past decade, winning the Burundian Basketball Championship, currently known as the Viva Basketball League, in 2016, 2019 and 2023.
After a series of heartbreaking losses for Burundian basketball clubs in Road to BAL qualification, Dynamo finally came right in Johannesburg in November.
Star man: Israel Otobo
Reasons for optimism: Israel Otobo, the 19-year-old Nigerian center, is one of the most promising young players in the BAL. He averaged 13.2 points and 13.8 rebounds per game in the Elite 16 qualifying round in November. He can inspire Dynamo to pick up in Pretoria where they left off in Johannesburg.
Reasons for concern: Dynamo will have to finish above at least one of Petro de Luanda, Cape Town Tigers and FUS Rabat in the group stage in order to reach the playoffs. All three of their opponents will be more experienced and better-resourced sides. Dynamo only scraped through qualifying and cannot rely on fine margins at the BAL itself.
ESPN's prediction: First round
Nile Conference (Cairo, April 19-27)
Al Ahly (Egypt)
How did they qualify? By defending their Egyptian Basketball Premier League title - defeating Al Ittihad in the final. Two weeks later, Ahly doubled up with the 2023 BAL championship title in Kigali.
History: Predominantly known as the most prestigious football club in Africa, Ahly are also up there when it comes to other sports, including basketball, handball and volleyball.
With that said, they have generally taken a backseat role in Egyptian basketball throughout history to Al Ittihad and Zamalek. In the last two decades, that has begun to change.
Ahly were national champions in 1988/89, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2011/12 and 2015/16 before their most recent back-to-back Super League triumphs in 2022 and 2023.
In continental competitions, they have punched above their weight, winning the African Basketball Cup Winners' Cup in 1998 and 2000 and the FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup in 2016. They won the BAL at the first attempt in 2023 and subsequently finished fourth at the six-team FIBA Intercontinental Cup.
Star man: Ehab Amin
Reasons for optimism: The defending champions are from a country that collectively has landed two championships and a bronze medal in the three previous BAL seasons.
Zamalek won the title in 2021 and finished third in 2022, while Ahly emulated their Cairo rivals' triumph with the same coach, Agustí Julbe, in 2023.
Beating G League Ignite at the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in September was a major statement from Ahly about their own quality and that of African basketball.
Reasons for concern: No team has yet defended their BAL title. Ahly will have to keep motivation high in order to do so.
ESPN's prediction: Champions
Al Ahly Benghazi (Libya)
How did they qualify? As the third-placed side in the Road to BAL West Division qualifiers. Ahly Benghazi beat Cameroon's FAP in the third-place playoff.
History: Al Ahly Benghazi's basketball section was formed in 1950, although the broader sporting club existed earlier and the professional football club was formed in 1947.
For the first time, Ahly Benghazi won the Libyan Basketball League in 2009-10 and 2010-11. They won the Arab Basketball Championship in 2012 and 2013, also finishing eighth in the 2013 FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup.
After a decade in the wilderness, Ahly Benghazi are now back on top of Libyan basketball.
Star man: Pierre Jackson
Reasons for optimism: Ahly Benghazi have signed established players, chief among them former Dallas Mavericks point guard Pierre Jackson.
Reasons for concern: High turnover among signings suggests that the team will likely take time to hit top gear. Ater Majok played for Ahly Benghazi in qualifying, only to sign for US Monastir ahead of the tournament itself.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
City Oilers (Uganda)
How did they qualify? As runners-up in the Road to BAL East Division. City Oilers beat Burundi's Dynamo BBC in the semi-finals to seal their spot and nearly upset Cape Town Tigers in the final.
History: The team from Kampala grew from a group of friends who played pick-up games in the city around 2008 and were later joined by national league hoopers.
According to Kawowo Sports, Mohamed Santur, one of the friends, pitched the idea of forming a club to City Oil management and thus began City Oilers, now the dominant force in Ugandan basketball with eight successive national titles.
Star man: Khaman Maluach
Reasons for optimism: Oilers will be entering this year's tournament with more experience after getting a feel for the BAL last year, only narrowly missing out of the playoffs. They have the best BAL Elevate player in Maluach, who will fit right in, having spent most of his life living in Uganda. Parish Petty also starred during qualification.
Reasons for concern: Dane Miller, who is one of the most well-rounded BAL players and represented City Oilers in qualifying, confirmed to ESPN that as of the time of writing, he had not re-signed.
ESPN's prediction: First round
Bangui SC (Central African Republic)
How did they qualify? As the shock winners of the Road to BAL West Division qualification tournament in Abidjan, where they upset Al Ahly Benghazi in the semi-finals and FUS Rabat in the final.
History: Founded by former national team player Cyrille Damango in 2017, Bangui won the Bangui Basketball League in 2022 and 2023. Having hired Liz Mills for the Road to BAL qualifiers, they pulled off a major upset by winning the West Division, although she left the club before tip-off in the tournament itself.
Star man: Yasser Billy Bertin Kamayengue
Reasons for optimism: The togetherness shown in qualifying was a sign of Bangui's immense potential. Billy Kamayengue, who is 18 at the time of writing and will be 19 when Bangui tip off their campaign in Cairo, is up there with Dynamo's Otobo as one of the most exciting young players in the tournament.
Reasons for concern: Mills' contract was for qualifying only and she has declined to re-sign. The latest word from our sources is that Bangui also have yet to re-sign former Cape Town tigers star Evans Ganapamo and Rolly Fula.
ESPN's prediction: First round
Sahara Conference (Dakar, May 4-12)
AS Douanes (Senegal)
How did they qualify? Automatically, as winners of Senegal's basketball league, the Nationale 1 Masculin.
History: AS Douanes was founded in 1980 as the basketball division of a Senegalese customs organisation. The team only won its first Nationale 1 title in 1998, but became increasingly dominant in Senegalese basketball as the years passed.
The Dakar-based side appeared at the 2004 FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup, finishing seventh with a record of 0-3. They then featured at the 2021 BAL, where they lost 86-62 to current champions US Monastir in the quarter-finals.
In 2023, Douanes got their campaign off to a poor start, losing their opening two fixtures, but recovered miraculously to make it all the way to the final, inspired by a blend of the experience of Chris Crawford and Matthew Bryan-Amaning and the youth of Jean-Jacques Boissy and Khaman Maluach. A memorable campaign ended with a defeat to Al Ahly.
Star man: Jean-Jacques Boissy
Reasons for optimism: Douanes exceeded expectations last year by making the final of the BAL. They will once again be on home soil for the Sahara Conference and have re-signed star guard Jean-Jacques Boissy.
Reasons for concern: Some key players from last season, such as Maluach and Chris Crawford, will not be at Douanes' disposal for this campaign.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
APR (Rwanda)
How did they qualify? As winners of the Rwandan Basketball League. APR swept defending champions REG 4-0 in the finals to clinch their first ever BAL appearance.
History: Owned by the Rwandan Ministry of Defence, Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club was founded in 1993 and dominated Rwandan basketball in the 1990s and 2000s, winning titles in 1995 to 2003, then 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009. After a 14-year drought, APR finally won another in 2023.
Star man: Mike Dixon
Reasons for optimism: Signing 2022 MVP Mike Dixon makes APR one of the dark horses for this year's tournament. Should they make the playoffs, they will be on home soil in Kigali. They also have Ulrich Chomche in their ranks, whose defensive ability makes him worthy of stepping on any court.
Reasons for concern: Rwanda has a growing basketball league, but they still lack the talent base to compete with the North African giants and will have to rely largely on impressive individual displays.
ESPN's prediction: Semi-finals
US Monastir (Tunisia)
How did they qualify? By winning Tunisia's Championnat Pro A for the fifth time running.
History: Established in 1959, US Monastir did not rise to the top of Tunisian basketball until 1998, when they beat Ezzahra Sports in the league finals to win their first title. In 1999/2000, Monastir beat Club Africain in the league final and Ezzahra in the cup final to win the double.
After a third title win in 2005 and a maiden appearance at the FIBA Africa Club Championship in 2014, Monastir finished third in the Africa Champions Cup in 2017. They were defeated by ES Radès in the semi-final, but won the bronze playoff against Sport Libolo e Benfica.
If they needed revenge on local rivals ES Radès, Monastir claimed it by beating them to bag the league title in not only 2019, but again in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, Monastir beat Ezzahra in the finals, and they saw off another challenger, Club Africain, in 2023.
They were widely viewed as favourites for the inaugural BAL title, but lost to Zamalek in the final. However, in 2022, they gained revenge on Zamalek in the semi-finals before beating Petro de Luanda in the final.
The 2023 season ended in bitter disappointment as Monastir were eliminated in the first round by the narrowest of margins after a five-way tie in the six-team Sahara Conference. This year, they will be hungry to reclaim glory.
Star man: Ater Majok
Reasons for optimism: Having re-signed former Defensive MVP Ater Majok, who played for Monastir in 2021 and 2022, but represented Petro last year, Monastir have already made a huge statement of intent.
Reasons for concern: Tunisian basketball is in a transitional period as Radhouane Slimane's generation makes way for a new wave. Much like Petro, Monastir have not yet built a core obviously capable of replicating the achievements of years past.
ESPN's prediction: Runners-up
Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria)
How did they qualify? As champions of the Nigeria Premier League, giving them an automatic place in the BAL.
History: Founded in 2009 as Royal Hoopers, Rivers Hoopers have played in the Nigerian Premier League from the get-go.
In 2011 and 2012, they won back-to-back titles, finally adding a third national crown in 2019. They were victorious again in 2021, although they did not receive an invite to the BAL as their league was not organised by the national federation that year. In 2023, they reclaimed their crown from Kwara Falcons.
In December 2018, Rivers Hoopers featured in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Championship, winning all five fixtures and going on to play in the 2019 Africa Basketball League. There, they finished third in Group A behind AS de Salé and JS Kairouan.
In 2021, they played in the inaugural BAL and scored the first points in the competition's history through Ben Uzoh, but ultimately, Rivers Hoopers finished third in Group A behind US Monastir and Patriots - consequently missing the playoffs.
Star man: Will Perry
Reasons for optimism: Signing Will Perry was a statement of intent and Rivers Hoopers look better prepared than Kwara Falcons were in their dismal campaign last year.
Reasons for concern: Nigerian teams have performed poorly in their two BAL appearances. Rivers Hoopers were eliminated in the first round in 2021 and Kwara lost all of their games in 2023.
The men's national team's lack of proper preparation before recent defeats to Libya, Uganda and Cape Verde suggests that the national federation, the NBBF, has plenty of work to do in order to steady its ship and fix the issues which caused the 2022 BAL to proceed without a Nigerian representative.
ESPN's prediction: First round