The Basketball Africa League heads into its fifth edition in 2025, and has already produced names like Duke Blue Devils' Khaman Maluach, so which team could see a star emerge this year?
The BAL is Africa's premier basketball competition, organised by the NBA in partnership with FIBA, and tips off on April 5 in Rabat, Morocco, with the first ever conference there ending on April 13. They have effectively replaced Egypt as north Africa's hosts.
After further conferences in Dakar (April 26 - May 4) and Kigali (May 17-25), the playoffs and finals will take place in Pretoria's SunBet Arena. They will tip off on June 6 with the final scheduled for June 14. This will be the first year in which it will take place outside Kigali, whose current deal with the BAL includes hosting the playoffs and finals every two years.
For the fifth year in a row, 12 teams will compete, although the qualification process differed slightly from previous years.
Seven initially made the tournament automatically as national champions of countries handed guaranteed spots, while four subsequently qualified through the Road to BAL. Finally, South African champions MBB were handed a wild card spot - effectively making them the eighth team to qualify by virtue of winning a national title and the 12th in the tournament.
While the information on player movements here is correct as of the time of writing, players move around frequently in basketball - particularly outside the US. As a result, rosters are liable to change at short notice.
READ: Everything you need to know about the BAL 2025
Kalahari Conference (Rabat, Morocco, April 5-13)
Al Ittihad (Egypt)
How did they qualify? By dethroning Al Ahly as Egyptian champions, earning them a first-ever ticket to the BAL via automatic qualification.
History: Founded in 1914, Al Ittihad won their first Egyptian Super League title in 1979 and dominated Egyptian basketball throughout the 1980s and 1990s. They won league titles again in 2009 and 2010, but then had a dry patch before further triumphs in 2020 and 2024.
Star man: Jo Lual-Acuil
Reasons for optimism: Egypt are the only country to have produced two BAL champions (Al Ahly and Zamalek) and have some of the most impressive basketball clubs and development structures in Africa. Al Ittihad have been building a strong side over many years and have a major Egyptian leader in former BAL champion and Defensive MVP Anas Mahmoud.
The 7-foot former Louisville center is still in his prime years at 29. In addition, they have signed last year's MVP and the record single-game scorer for the tournament, South Sudan's Jo Lual-Acuil, who will be hungry to go one better after losing last season's final with Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya. Lual-Acuil will once again team up with Majok Deng and they will be joined by another star signing, Kyle Vinales.
Reasons for concern: Al Ittihad have not had experience at the BAL and Egypt are no longer Nile Conference hosts, making the task slightly more difficult. FUS Rabat, one of their competitors for the title, will be hosting a conference.
ESPN's prediction: Champions
FUS Rabat (Morocco)
How did they qualify? Automatically, as champions of Morocco.
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 and retaining their title in 2024.
Star man: Jonathan Jordan
Reasons for optimism: FUS Rabat were one of the best teams throughout the course of the 2024 season, but ultimately fell short simply because they lost a match they could not afford to lose - the quarter-final against the Cape Town Tigers in Kigali. Now that they will be hosting a conference, they are in an even better position to challenge for the Championship.
Reasons for concern: FUS's quarter-final exit in 2024 was their only BAL appearance, so there is no concrete proof as of yet that they have what it takes to win the championship.
ESPN's prediction: Runners-up
Stade Malien (Mali)
How did they qualify? As runners-up in the Road to BAL West Division.
History: Stade Malien is a multi-sports club which also plays football and rugby. Formed in 1960, they have a rich basketball history, as the team made the final of the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup in 1972 and 1989, though losing on both occasions.
They went eight years without a national championship before beating AS Mandé in the 2022 finals. Stade Malien shocked the world by finishing third at the 2023 BAL, led by Aliou Diarra, who went on to join the Milwaukee Bucks for the 2023 NBA Summer League.
They retained the national title that year and then won it for a third time on the trot in 2024. This year will be their second appearance at the BAL.
Star man: Mohamed Doumbya
Reasons for optimism: Stade Malien have only played at the BAL once before and they performed well above everyone's wildest expectations. They have had their off-court struggles, but their form in qualifiers suggests they are rebuilding and since then, they have signed Senegalese league MVP Mohamed Doumbya.
Reasons for concern: The likes of Rueben Chinyelu, Aliou Diarra and John Wilkins - all instrumental in Stade Malien's 2023 run - are all either unlikely to feature for them or certain not to in 2025.
ESPN's prediction: Group stage
Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria)
How did they qualify? Automatically, by retaining their national league title in Nigeria.
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 2022 BAL as their league was not organised by the national federation that year. In 2023, they reclaimed their crown from Kwara Falcons, going on to defend the title in 2024.
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.
Three years later, they were back as a better organised outfit. Rivers Hoopers handled recruitment superbly and secured a shock third-place finish.
Star man: Kelvin Amayo
Reasons for optimism: The last two seasons of BAL action have proven that less fancied sides can trouble the so-called bigger teams. Rivers Hoopers did not achieve their success last year by mistake - their recruitment was superb and a healthy environment was cultivated within the team, which can be carried forward into this season.
Nigerian/American guard Kelvin Amayo can lead the team by continuing his form from last year's BAL and domestic league and the Rivers Hoopers have added an experienced big man in Raphiael Putney.
Reasons for concern: Even in the middle of their miracle run, Rivers Hoopers' lack of depth was evident at crunch time and it is unlikely that they will be able to go all the way against better resourced teams right until the end of the tournament.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
Sahara Conference (April 26 - May 4, Dakar)
ASC Ville de Dakar (Senegal)
How did they qualify? By default as newly-crowned champions of Senegal.
History: The club was founded in 1980, but the men's basketball team was only created in 2014. ASCVD has been tremendously successful on the women's side, winning league championships in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. However, 2024 was the first time the men's team won the Nationale 1 title.
Star man: Will Perry
Reasons for optimism: AS Douanes has shown in recent years that Senegal is capable of producing competitive BAL sides, even reaching the final in 2023. ASCVD have signed some stars from previous BAL seasons - Abdoulaye Harouna, Ater Majok and Will Perry. These are players with strong work ethics who are likely to raise the bar.
Reasons for concern: ASCVD were a surprise champion in Senegal after not having the best regular season record. As impressive as Perry, Majok and Harouna are, they are all in their 30s.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
Kriol Star (Cape Verde)
How did they qualify? As runners-up in the Road to BAL East Division.
History: Brothers and Cape Verdean basketball legends Joel and Ivan Almeida established the club in 2024 through the holding Kriol Star Foundation. They became the first club from Cape Verde to play in FIBA's continental qualifying tournaments as they played in Road to BAL 2025, and they succeeded in making it to the tournament at the first time of asking with Joel Almeida on their roster.
Star man: Joel Almeida
Reasons for optimism: Kriol Star have momentum behind them after their fairytale qualification run and Cape Verdean basketball is growing at a rapid rate. The national team even played in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Reasons for concern: This is a project which has been put together in a very short time and all four BAL champions to date have been old, established clubs.
Kriol Star scraped through qualifying and were beaten soundly by Nairobi City Thunder in the East Division final, suggesting that the Kenyan side are the main dark horse from the division rather than their Cape Verdean counterparts.
ESPN's prediction: Group stage
Petro de Luanda (Angola)
How did they qualify? The defending BAL champions also retained their national league title in Angola, which is one of the countries handed an automatic spot at the BAL for the champion.
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 further titles in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
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.
In 2024, they started the season poorly, leading to the departure of head coach José Neto. However, Sergio Valdeolmillos took over and turned the season around, leading Petro to the long-awaited title in Kigali with a win over Libya's Al Ahly Benghazi in the final.
Star man: Childe Dundão
Reasons for optimism: Petro proved in 2024 that Angolan basketball is far from finished. Even with Carlos Morais playing a limited role on the court, they had enough talent to carry them to the title. Petro are the only team to have made the semi-finals in every year of the BAL's existence.
Reasons for concern: Petro's road to the title was paved last year by the mistakes of their rivals, such as FUS Rabat, who lost to Cape Town Tigers in the quarter-finals after finishing above Petro in the Kalahari Conference. If FUS and Al Ittihad play to their full potential, they will be very difficult to beat.
ESPN's prediction: Semi-finals
US Monastir (Tunisia)
How did they qualify? Automatically, for the fifth BAL season running, as champions of Tunisia.
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 and 2024.
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. In 2024, they were upset in the quarter-finals by Rivers Hoopers.
Star man: Radhouane Slimane
Reasons for optimism: Petro aside, no BAL team has been as consistent as Monastir. Having won the title before in 2022, they know what it takes, and there are still remnants of that squad.
Reasons for concern: Monastir no longer have quite as much firepower as they did when they won the title in 2022 with the likes of Ater Majok and Mike Dixon.
ESPN's prediction: Group stage
Nile Conference (May 17-25, Kigali, Rwanda)
MBB (South Africa)
How did they qualify? South African champions Made By Basketball (MBB) were handed a wild card spot despite failing to make it through Road to BAL qualifiers. They won the South African National Club Championships following the withdrawal of the Cape Town Tigers, who were in dire financial straits and marred by internal conflicts among the board amid a probe into their finances.
History: Founded in 2020 as a social club, MBB is owned and coached by Cyril Shabalala, a former basketball player. Early in 2024, signs began to emerge that they were ready to attract top South African talent as ex-Cape Town Tigers captains Pieter Prinsloo and Lebesa Selepe joined.
Neo Mothiba, who is still playing although he turns 43 in March, is another legend of the local game who contributed to MBB's success. They won the National Club Championships following the withdrawal of Cape Town Tigers amid a BAL probe into the Tigers' reporting of finances.
Star man: Nathi Sibanyoni
Reasons for optimism: All indications at this point are that MBB have gone about their business without the behind-the-scenes drama of previous champions the Tigers. The top-level South African talent on board can take them far if complemented by a few internationals.
Home advantage can aid them in the playoffs if they make it that far. In American coach Sam Vincent, they have a head coach who both has played at the highest level and grown to understand the South African basketball system.
Reasons for concern: MBB does not have the same financial backing that the Tigers once did. For all the talent in that team, they still struggled in the Kalahari Conference last year and that was in Pretoria. Key players Pieter Prinsloo and Nathi Sibanyoni have limited time with the group after being signed recently. MBB will have to perform on the road for the early stages of the tournament.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
APR (Rwanda)
How did they qualify? Automatically, as Rwanda's national champions.
History: Owned by the Rwandan Ministry of Defence, Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club was founded in 1993. They 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 and then went back-to-back in the 2024 Rwandan Basketball League (RBL).
Star man: Adonis Filer
Reasons for optimism: Rwanda will be hosting a conference this year, rather than merely the playoffs and finals. The only time a Rwandan team has made the semi-finals was in 2021, when Patriots were at home for the group stage in addition to the finals due to the shortened format during the COVID-19 pandemic. This suggests that perhaps, being at home for the early stages of the tournament could benefit APR, who crashed out of the tournament early in Dakar last year.
Reasons for concern: Rwandan teams have underwhelmed at the BAL year upon year. APR will probably need some marquee signings to buck the trend. Not being on home soil for the playoffs could count against them if they get that far, which they haven't done yet - although fellow Rwandan sides Patriots and REG did before them.
ESPN's prediction: Group stage
Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya)
How did they qualify? By winning the Road to BAL West Division.
History: Founded in 1950, Al Ahli SC has had several spells of success, but the current era is a golden one for them. They have been Libyan champions in 1966-67, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1985-86, 2000-01, 2013-14, 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2023-24.
In 2015 and 2019, they were quarter-finalists in the Arab Club Basketball Championship.
Star man: Jean-Jacques Boissy
Reasons for optimism: Libya showed its quality in 2024 as Al Ahly Benghazi made it all the way to the final. Al Ahli Tripoli won the West Division of qualifiers with a former BAL MVP in their ranks - Walter Hodge, who got the honor in 2021. They have recruited well, bringing in the likes of Jean-Jacques Boissy and Assem Marei.
Reasons for concern: Ahly Benghazi were ultimately undone last year by Petro's depth in numbers, with Angola's local quality outclassing that of Libya. Ahli Tripoli have plenty of work to do if they are to avoid a similar fate against the big teams.
ESPN's prediction: Quarter-finals
Nairobi City Thunder (Kenya)
How did they qualify? By winning the Road to BAL East Division.
History: The club was founded by Faustin Mgendi in 1998 as the NSSF Stars, winning its first national title two years later. In 2003, they rebranded as the International Christian Center, with the church becoming their primary sponsor. The club became self-funded in 2010 and adopted its current name.
In 2023, the club was acquired by Twende Sports Limited and set to work professionalising its operations. They won last year's KBF Premier League and then stormed to the East Division title with a mix of local and international players.
Star man: Tylor Ongwae
Reasons for optimism: A strong local core led by Tylor Ongwae mixed with foreign players such as Abdoulaye Harouna, Ater Majok and Uchenna Iroegbu have featured for the Nairobi City Thunder up until now.
There are often late player movements ahead of the BAL itself, but at the very least, the Thunder have proven they can attract top talent and put together a winning team.
Reasons for concern: Kenya has some talented players, but not a core that can match the locals from the likes of FUS Rabat, Petro de Luanda and Al Ittihad. With Majok and Harouna having signed for ASCVD, City Thunder have a void to fill in their team.
ESPN's prediction: Group stage