| Basketball Africa League awards and honours |
|---|
| Individual awards |
| Honors |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| League | Basketball Africa League |
| Awarded for | Best defensive player in the season of the Basketball Africa League |
| History | |
| First award | 2021 |
| Most wins | 4 players (1 each) |
| Most recent | Jo Lual-Acuil, Al Ahly Ly (2024) |
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. [1]
Players of the four teams that qualified for the semifinals can be selected. The selection committee exists of a number of BAL experts, including the head coaches of all teams.
Jo Lual-Acuil, winner of the award in 2024, is the only player to win both the Defensive Player of the Year and hte Most Valuable Player in the same season. [2]
| Season | Player | Position | Nationality | Club | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Anas Mahmoud | Center |  Egypt | Zamalek | [1] |
| 2022 | Ater Majok | Center |  South Sudan [lower-alpha 1] |  US Monastir | [3] |
| 2023 | Aliou Diarra | Center |  Mali | Stade Malien | [4] |
| 2024 | Jo Lual-Acuil | Center | South Sudan |  Al Ahly Ly | [2] |
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo is a Congolese-American former professional basketball player. Mutombo played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Mount Mutombo" for his defensive prowess, he is commonly regarded as one of the best shot-blockers and defensive players of all time. He received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times, tied with Ben Wallace and Rudy Gobert for the most awards. Mutombo led the NBA in blocked shots three times, led the league in rebounds twice, and was named to eight All-Star teams. On January 10, 2007, Mutombo reached second place on the list of NBA career leaders in blocked shots. Outside of basketball, he is well known for his humanitarian work.
The NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points, second-place votes are worth three points, and a third-place vote is worth one. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. Since the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, named after the two-time defensive player of the year winner.
The 2000–01 NBA season was the 76ers 52nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 38th season in Philadelphia. All-Star guard Allen Iverson had his best season in 2001; he led the 76ers to win their first ten games, and started for the Eastern Conference at the 2001 NBA All-Star Game in Washington D.C., and won All-Star MVP honors. The Sixers also posted a 56–26 record, which was the best in the Eastern Conference that season, and the team's first 50-win season since 1989–90. It was also the 76ers' best regular season record since 1984–85.
The 1996–97 NBA season was the Hawks' 48th season in the National Basketball Association, and 29th season in Atlanta. During this season, Hawks owner Ted Turner was the then-vice chairman of Time Warner after acquiring Turner Broadcasting System. In an effort to improve their team, the Hawks strengthened their defense by signing free agent All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Tyrone Corbin and Willie Burton; Corbin previously played for the Hawks during the 1994–95 season. The team also signed Eldridge Recasner and former Georgia Tech guard Jon Barry.
The 1997–98 NBA season was the Hawks' 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 30th season in Atlanta. Due to the demolition of The Omni during the off-season, the Hawks played their home games between the Georgia Dome, home of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, and the Alexander Memorial Coliseum, home of the NCAA's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets basketball team. The Alexander Memorial Coliseum was also the Hawks' original home from 1968 to 1972. In the off-season, the team signed free agent Chucky Brown, and re-signed Greg Anderson, who previously played for the Hawks during the 1994–95 season. The Hawks got off to a fast start winning their first eleven games of the season. However, after a 19–5 start, they would struggle losing seven straight games between December and January, but then won six straight afterwards and held a 29–20 record at the All-Star break. The Hawks won eight of their final eleven games, finishing fourth in the Central Division with a solid 50–32 record.
The 1998–99 NBA season was the Hawks' 50th season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season in Atlanta. On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games. Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled. However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games per team instead of the regular 82-game schedule.
Basketball is a rapidly growing sport on the continent of Africa. While its popularity is still dwarfed by association football, foreign investors, led by the National Basketball Association (NBA), are betting that it will be able to compete in the near future.
This page details the all-time statistics, records, and other achievements pertaining to the Denver Nuggets.
Joseph Lual-Acuil Jr. is a South Sudanese-Australian professional basketball player for Al Ahly Ly of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). He played college basketball for Neosho County Community College and Baylor University. Lual-Acuil holds the record for most points scored in a Basketball Africa League (BAL) game with 42 points.
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).
The 2021 BAL season, also known as BAL Season 1, was the inaugural season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Established as a joint effort between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and FIBA, the BAL is the highest tier continental league of Africa, replacing the FIBA Africa Basketball League. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BAL held its inaugural season one year later as planned, with the season beginning in 2021. Initially the league planned to play in six venues in six countries; however, due to the pandemic the season was held in a bio-secure bubble in Kigali, Rwanda. The season began on 16 May 2021 and ended on 30 May 2021.
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 Basketball Africa League Hakeem Olajuwon Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Basketball Africa League (BAL) award given to the best player of a given season. The award is named after all-time great Hakeem Olajuwon. The award was first handed out in the inaugural season to Walter Hodge.
The Basketball Africa League Manute Bol Sportsmanship Award is an annual Basketball Africa League (BAL) award given to the player "for exemplifying ideals of sportsmanship on the court with ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity". The award is named after South Sudanese basketball legend Manute Bol. The award was first handed out in the inaugural season to Makrem Ben Romdhane. Will Perry is the only player to have won the award twice.
The All-BAL 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.
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.
The 2024 BAL final is the championship game of the 2024 BAL season, the third season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and the conclusion of the playoffs. The final will be played on 1 June 2024 in the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, which hosts the final for a fourth consecutive year. The final was contested by Angolan club Petro de Luanda and Libyan club Al Ahly Ly.
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