‍DAKAR, SENEGAL AND TORONTO (July 10, 2023) – The Basketball Africa League (BAL) and Canada Basketball today announced that two BAL Select Teams comprised of 24 male and female players ages 23 and under (U-23) from across Africa will participate in GLOBL JAM, an international basketball showcase at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Canada from Wednesday, July 12 – Sunday, July 16.  GLOBL JAM will feature four U-23 women’s teams and four U-23 men’s teams from around the world and will air in Canada across Sportsnet platforms.

The women’s division will be comprised of teams representing Africa (BAL Select Team), Canada (U-23 National Team), the U.S. (University of Louisville) and Puerto Rico (U-23 National Team), while the men’s division will be comprised of teams representing Africa (BAL Select Team), Canada (U-23 National Team), Germany (U-23 National Team) and the U.S. (University of Kentucky).  The BAL Select Team players were identified by the BAL in collaboration with FIBA Africa and national federations across the continent.  

The GLOBL JAM teams will compete in round-robin play from July 12-15, culminating with the top two teams in each division advancing to the men’s and women’s gold medal championship games on July 16.  In collaboration with the NBA, Saturday evening (July 15) will be “Jr. NBA Youth Basketball Night,” which will allow youth players, families and teams from local Jr. NBA Youth Basketball programs to purchase group tickets at a discounted rate to Saturday night’s double-header featuring Canada vs. Puerto Rico (women’s) followed by Canada vs. Germany (men’s).

“We are thrilled to have the BAL join GLOBL JAM this summer,” said Michael Bartlett, Canada Basketball President & CEO.  “Having BAL included in this year’s international showcase not only provides a platform to showcase the tremendous level of African basketball talent on a global stage, but their participation in the event solidifies the deepest field of competition we’ve had in just two short years.”

“Participating in international showcases like GLOBL JAM is part of our larger efforts to showcase the excitement of the Basketball Africa League to fans around the world, particularly from across the African Diaspora,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.  “We thank Canada Basketball for the opportunity to have BAL Select Teams represent our league, and we look forward to engaging the passionate basketball fans in Toronto and across Canada.”

The participation of the women’s BAL Select Team continues the league’s commitment to advancing gender equality in the African sports ecosystem.  During the 2023 BAL season, more than 60 young women from local universities, basketball organizations and surrounding communities in Dakar, Senegal; Cairo, Egypt and Kigali, Rwanda took part in BAL4HER career development workshops alongside female mentors from the sports industry.  Egypt’s Yara Hussein, who took part in the BAL4HER U-23 camp in Cairo last April, was selected to participate in this year’s GLOBL JAM.  BAL women’s Select Team head coach Liz Mills (Australia) led Abidjan Basketball Club (Cote d’Ivoire) to the quarterfinals of the 2023 BAL season last May.  In 2022, she became the first woman to coach a BAL team and the first to coach a Moroccan men’s team.  

Fans can secure their seats today via Ticketmaster starting at less than $20 per session for two games.  For more information on GLOBL JAM, visit globljam.ca or click here.

About the BAL

The Basketball Africa League (BAL), a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that completed its third season in May 2023.  Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, the BAL builds on the foundation of club competitions FIBA Africa has organized across the continent and marks the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America.  Fans can follow the BAL (@theBAL) on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube and register their interest in receiving more information at BAL.NBA.com.

About Canada Basketball

Canada Basketball is the National Sporting Organization for the sport of Basketball in Canada.  Canada Basketball is respected worldwide and is recognized by the International Amateur Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Government of Canada as the sole governing body of amateur basketball in Canada.  Canada Basketball, a not-for-profit organization, represents all basketball interests and provides leadership, coordination and direction in all areas of basketball.