The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced the full rosters of the first NBA game in Africa, which will take place Aug. 1 at Ellis Park Arena, Johannesburg, South Africa.
The sold out game will feature Team Africa vs. Team World and will be played in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Africa, SOS Children’s Villages of South Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The game will air live in the U.S. at 9 a.m. EST on ESPN.
Team Africa will be comprised of team captain and two-time NBA All Star Luol Deng, Al-Farouq Aminu, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nicolas Batum, Bismack Biyombo, Boris Diaw, Gorgui Dieng, Festus Ezeli, Serge Ibaka and Luc Mbah a Moute.
“I am extremely proud to be a part of the NBA’s first game in Africa,” Deng says. “Coming from South Sudan and having participated in the Basketball without Borders Africa camps in Johannesburg previously, I am truly honored to be part of this historic event.”
Team World will be comprised of NBPA President and eight-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul, Bradley Beal, Kenneth Faried, Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol, Jeff Green, Marcus Smart, Evan Turner and Nikola Vucevic.
Five-time NBA champion Gregg Popovich will coach Team Africa, while Lionel Hollins will coach Team World.
For more information, visit nba.com. — J.B.