Basketball Africa League awards and honours |
---|
Individual awards |
Honors |
The BAL All-Defensive Team is an annual Basketball Africa League (BAL) honor bestowed on the best defensive players in the league following every BAL season. The All-Defensive Team is composed of five players. The honour was introduced in the 2022 season, the second season of the league. [1]
In the first two seasons only one team was announced, however, starting from 2024 there were two all-defensive teams. [2]
^ | Denotes players who are still active in the BAL |
* | Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected |
Player (in bold text) | Indicates the player who won the BAL Defensive Player of the Year in the same year |
G | Guard |
F | Forward |
C | Center |
Season | Pos. | Player | Team | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | G | Childe Dundão ^ | Petro de Luanda | [1] |
G | Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza ^ | REG | ||
F | Aboubakar Gakou ^ | Petro de Luanda | ||
F | Brice Eyaga Bidias | FAP | ||
C | Ater Majok ^ | US Monastir | ||
2023 | G | Childe Dundão (2)^ | Petro de Luanda | [3] |
G | Jean Jacques Boissy ^ | AS Douanes | ||
F | Samkelo Cele ^ | Cape Town Tigers | ||
C | Aliou Diarra ^ | Stade Malien | ||
C | Ater Majok (2)^ | Petro de Luanda |
Season | First team | Second team | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Player | Team | Player | Team | ||
2024 | Solo Diabate ^ | Al Ahly Ly | Childe Dundão (3)^ | Petro de Luanda | [4] [2] |
Abdoulaye Harouna ^ | AS Douanes | Jean Jacques Boissy (2)^ | AS Douanes | ||
Samkelo Cele ^ | Cape Town Tigers | Kelvin Amayo ^ | Rivers Hoopers | ||
Jo Lual-Acuil ^ | Al Ahly Ly | Devine Eke ^ | Rivers Hoopers | ||
Aliou Diarra (2)^ | FUS Rabat | Ater Majok (3)^ | US Monastir | ||
The following table lists the players with the most overall selections.
^ | Denotes players who are still active in the BAL |
Rank | Player | First team | Second team | Total | Defensive Player of the Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ater Majok ^ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Childe Dundão ^ | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
2 | Jean Jacques Boissy ^ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Aliou Diarra ^ | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
Samkelo Cele ^ | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Al-Ahly Sports Cultural & Social Club, also known as Al-Ahly Ly or Al-Ahly Benghazi, is a Libyan basketball club that is based in Benghazi. Founded in 1950, the club competes in the Libyan Division I Basketball League and has won three championships, in 2010, 2011 and 2023.
Ater James "AJ" Majok is a professional basketball player for US Monastir of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Born in Sudan and raised in Australia, Majok represents Lebanon internationally. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2011 NBA draft with the 58th overall pick. Standing at 6 ft 11 in, Majok mostly stands out with his athletic and defensive abilities. He was the BAL Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
Mouloukou Souleyman Diabate, commonly known as Solo Diabate, is an Ivorian basketball player for Al Ahly Benghazi of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). After playing a decade in France and some years in North Macedonia, China and Slovakia, Diabate began his career at the African continent in 2021. He is a two-time BAL champion, with Zamalek in 2021 and US Monastir in 2022.
Anas Osama Mahmoud is an Egyptian professional basketball player who plays for Al Ittihad Alexandria of the Egyptian Basketball Super League. He played college basketball at the University of Louisville. He represents the Egypt national basketball team.
Joseph Lual-Acuil Jr. is a South Sudanese-Australian professional basketball player for the Sandringham Sabres of the NBL1 South. He played college basketball for Neosho County Community College and Baylor University. Lual-Acuil had a record-breaking season in the BAL in 2024, in which he won MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and broke the league scoring record.
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) is the premier men's basketball league in Africa. Founded in 2019, the organization was established by both the National Basketball Association (NBA) and International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Union Sportive Monastirienne, commonly known as US Monastir, is a Tunisian professional basketball club based in Monastir. Established in 1959, the team plays in the Pro A the first division league in Tunisia and has won seven national championships. Monastir also plays in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) since the inaugural season in 2021. Home games are played in the Mohamed-Mzali Sports Hall.
The 2022 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 2, was the second season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The season began on 2 March 2022 and ended with the Finals on 28 May 2022. The group phase was played in the Dakar Arena in Dakar and the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Cairo. The playoffs and finals were played in the BK Arena in Kigali for a second year in a row.
The BNXT League is a professional basketball league in Belgium and the Netherlands. The league is the first tier in both the Dutch and Belgian system, replacing the DBL and PBL. The inaugural season was the 2021–22 season, which started in September 2021.
Aboubakar Pedro Gakou is an Angolan basketball player who plays for Petro de Luanda and the Angola national team. Standing at 2.01 m, he plays as power forward.
Abdoulaye Harouna Amadou is a Nigerien basketball player who plays for AS Douanes of the Nationale 1 and the Basketball Africa League (BAL). He has also played for the Niger national team. Harouna played college basketball for Miami RedHawks between 2015 and 2019.
The Basketball Africa League Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the Year is an annual Basketball Africa League (BAL) award given to the best defensive player of a given season. The award is named after Congolese basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo. The award was first handed out in the inaugural season to Anas Osama Mahmoud.
The All-First Team is an annual Basketball Africa League (BAL) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every BAL season. The first selections were announced on 4 June 2021 after the inaugural season. Thus far, fifteen players from eight different teams have been named to the all-league team.
The Cape Town Tigers are a South African professional basketball team founded in Cape Town. The Tigers play in the Basketball National League (BNL) and the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
The 2023 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 3, was the third season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The season began on 11 March 2023 and ended on 27 May 2023. The playoffs were played in the BK Arena in Kigali, which hosted the final stage for a third season in a row. The regular season was played in Dakar, Senega and Cairo, Egypt, both venues hosted a conference for a second year in a row.
Stade Malien is a Malian basketball team based in Bamako. It is part of the multi-sports club, which also has a football team and rugby team. Founded in 1960, Stade plays in the Ligue 1, the highest level of basketball in Mali. They play in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in the 2023 season.
Aliou Fadiala Diarra is a Malian professional basketball player for FUS Rabat. Diarra was recruited on outside courts by Stade Malien and was an unknown in professional basketball circles until he gained attention in 2023 for his performance in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). In his rookie season, he was named the BAL Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-BAL First Team.
The 2024 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 4, will be the 4th season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The season began on 9 March 2024 and will finish with the final on 1 June 2024, which will be played in the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda for a fourth consecutive season.
Samkelo "Sam" Cele is a South African professional basketball player who plays for the Cape Town Tigers of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Born in Durban, he played college basketball for three different universities. Cele began playing professionally in 2023 and was an All-BAL First Team selection in 2024, and is a two-time BAL All-Defensive Team selection, all while playing for the Tigers.
William Kiah Perry is an American professional basketball player for Rivers Hoopers of the Nigerian Premier League (basketball) (NPL). Standing at 1.83 m, Perry plays as point guard. Alumnus of Lenoir–Rhyne University, he has played several years of professional basketball in Europe and Africa. Perry previously held the record for most points in a single BAL game, is a one-time All-BAL First Team selection and a two-time BAL Sportsmanship Award winner.