As the 2025 Africa Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp tipped off Saturday at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, one thing was immediately clear: this was not your typical basketball camp. Forget short speeches and repetitive drills—there was something intangible in the air, a buzz you could feel but not quite grasp. From a distance, the excitement was almost palpable.

Shortly after the opening ceremony, this energy came to life. Teenagers—some towering as high as 6’11”—stood on the court, sneakers laced, ready to showcase their emerging basketball skills to coaches and scouts. For them, it was a race to stand out among the best.

The camp hosts 60 athletes—30 boys and 30 girls—each among the crème de la crème of their age group. They underwent rigorous screening to earn a place at this annual event, held for the first time in East Africa, with Rwanda selected as the host nation.

Launched in 2001, BWB has staged 77 camps across 51 cities in 33 countries on six continents, reaching over 4,572 campers from 142 nations. Its mission is clear: provide elite instruction and development opportunities to maximize the potential of international talent, elevate basketball standards in host regions, and allow NBA, WNBA, and FIBA players, coaches, and executives to serve as global ambassadors for the sport.

Here in Kigali, that vision is on full display, as the continent’s best emerging talent is put through their paces.

One of these players is forward Ben Kwame Ayugi. At just 17, he stands 6’7”, a physical presence on any court. Though not yet a polished player, he shows immense promise. He has grown not only in stature—broad shoulders, large hands—but also in skill.

Ayugi, now based in New Jersey, USA, dreams of breaking into the NBA. He credits his family, especially his father, for unwavering support. Starting basketball in 2021 at age 13, Ayugi’s journey through an elite academy and the FIBA Money Youth Camp in 2023 set him on a trajectory toward success. Representing Team Kenya at the 2024 Zone Five Games in Tanzania and later playing in the USA marked key milestones in his development.

When asked what could help grow basketball in Africa, Ayugi offered: “Give kids more opportunities to play outside Kenya, give out basketballs, build more courts.”

Nearby, another 17-year-old, Ajak Aguer Aketch, shares a similar journey. Nairobi remains his home, but his roots trace back to South Sudan. He grew up playing on concrete and dusty courts in Shauri Moyo and Kahawa Wendani.

“I started playing basketball in 2021 because in my community, I was tall, and people kept telling me I should play,” he says during our interview at the sideline of the event.

Now at BWB, Aketch hopes to reach the NBA. He recalls the moment he learned he had made the camp: “I went to training, came home, and saw an email… ‘You are chosen to play at Basketball Without Borders…’ I was so excited. I called my mum, I called everyone. In my family, I’m the only one who plays basketball. Mum always tells me, just play basketball and make me proud.”

For these young athletes, pride, hope, and dreams intertwine with determination—the very reason the NBA launched this initiative. As Michael Finley, NBA Senior Director and Country Operations Lead, explains: “It is a big deal that this camp is here in East Africa for the very first time. It’s a motivating factor for young youth. The first thing is motivation; young East African basketball players now have the opportunity to showcase their talent to coaches and NBA personnel from around the world, and it doesn’t get any better than that.”