Johannesburg Giants

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Johannesburg Giants
Johannesburg Giants logo.svg
League South African Championship
BAL
Founded2025
HistoryJohannesburg Giants
(2025–present)
Location Johannesburg, South Africa
Team coloursNavy, Red and White
   
President Berlina Moroole
Head coach Florsheim Ngwenya

The Johannesburg Giants Basketball Club are a South African basketball club based in Johannesburg. They play in the South African Championship and will make their debut in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2026.

Contents

History

The club was founded in 2025 with Florsheim Ngwenya acting as both head coach and Chief Executive Officer, and Lesego Molebatsi holding the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. [1] Sam Vincent is the President of Basketball Operations. The Giants immediately won the South African National Basketball Championship title, after defeating KwaZulu Marlins in the final. [2] [3]

They then represented the country in the Road to BAL, making their debut in the 2026 BAL qualification. In their first international game on October 29, 2025, they defeated Brave Hearts 67–49. [4] On November 22, the Giants qualified for the 2026 BAL season, after defeating Dar City from Tanzania in the semifinal. As such, they become the third South African team to play in the BAL, following the Cape Town Tigers and MBB. [5]

Honours

South African National Basketball Championship [3]

Players

Current roster

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Johannesburg Giants roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.Name
PG 5 Flag of South Africa.svg Makgalemele, Lethabo
SG 6 Flag of South Sudan.svg Deng, Dhieu
SF 7 Flag of South Africa.svg Nsele, Bandile
SF 8 Flag of South Africa.svg Kasilembo, Yanick
SG 9 Flag of South Africa.svg Lele, Dylan
PG 10 Flag of South Africa.svg Tholo, Lehlogonolo
SG 11 Flag of South Africa.svg Mahlong, Aviwe
SG 12 Flag of South Africa.svg Ozabor, Joshua
SF 13 Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Shine, Emmanuel
C 14 Flag of South Africa.svg Sibanyoni, Nkosinathi
SF 15 Flag of South Africa.svg Dim, Nino
C 21 Flag of South Africa.svg Reid, Liam
C 23 Flag of South Africa.svg Mthembu, Somusa
C 32 Flag of South Africa.svg Prinsloo, Pieter
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Flag of South Africa.svg Yves Abdon
  • Flag of the United States.svg Anthony Shelton
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Development player
  • (I) Import player
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
Updated: October 29, 2025

References

  1. ↑ "Teams". The Giants Basketball. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Johannesburg Giants crowned the 2025 South African champions". www.fiba.basketball. September 23, 2025. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Johannesburg Giants crowned the 2025 South African champions". www.fiba.basketball. September 23, 2025. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Magic, Giants and Beira all made strong starts in Group E". www.fiba.basketball. October 28, 2025. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Sibanyoni's incredible block sends the Johannesburg Giants to the 2026 BAL". www.fiba.basketball. November 22, 2025. Retrieved November 23, 2025.
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