SA has potential to be best basketball country in Africa — NBA scout

The new sports ministry in SA has been asking why the country has a low number of participants at the Paris Olympics.

As it searches for answers in mapping a way forward, basketball will aim to be part of the solution.

This is according to former SA basketball player Patrick Engelbrecht, 46, who is the head global scout and head of international affairs for the NBA Canadian team the Toronto Raptors. 

Not many South Africans know about their countryman, but he has achieved in one of the toughest professional sports scenes.

In 2006, Engelbrecht participated in the SA Commonwealth Games basketball team that placed seventh out of eight teams.

That was the last time SA tasted global competition other than Afro competitions. 

It may surprise most, but SA is regarded as a well-resourced country that could service basketball. 

The SA men’s team only returned to the international domain earlier in 2024, after not being active since 2017.

This was mainly because the federation had withdrawn from several qualification competitions due to a number of reasons, with the lack of finances topping the list. 

But with the domestic Basketball National League growing every year and producing top-quality players, Engelbrecht praised the return of the national team.

In the recently completed Basketball Africa League (BAL), SA team Cape Town Tigers went as far as the semifinals and its player, Samkelo Cele, joined NBA team New York Knicks for the NBA summer league, which underlined the potential growth and opportunity of the sport.

“The potential in SA is endless. One is because of migration. SA has people from all over the African continent,” Engelbrecht said.

“There is an abundance of resources and infrastructure. It is just a matter of organising those and giving our youth a chance by introducing them to the game very early.

“Have them playing at age eight, 10, 12, 13, so by the time they are 14, 15, 16, you are making decisions on what positions they should specialise in.

“That is how we build a good base and foundation for basketball in the country,” he said.

Early in 2024, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum shared the same sentiments while he was in SA for the launch of the fourth season of the BAL.

Tatum said holding the BAL in SA for the first time was a critical step in cementing its ties to the country while building its brand and growing basketball across the African continent. 

The NBA’s head office for its operations in Africa is based in Sandton and a development initiative like the junior NBA programme, which runs at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Phokeng, is located in the country. 

While 20 of the Basketball Without Borders development programmes have been held in Africa, 16 have taken place in SA, including the 20th BWB Africa camp which tipped off on Saturday, finishing on Tuesday. 

Engelbrecht is part of the camp together with NBA players, 2022 NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors Moses Moody (US), the Toronto Raptors’ Immanuel Quickley (US), and Bruno Fernando (Angola), who most recently played with the Atlanta Hawks.

Current and former NBA coaches also imparted their knowledge and skills to the young prospects, including Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković (Serbia), four-time NBA champion as a player and coach, Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell (US), Orland Magic assistant coach, Jesse Mermuys (US), former NBA player and Atlanta Hawks assistant coach Ekpe Udoh (US, ties to Nigeria) and 2004 Olympian and FIBA players’ commission member Mfon Udoka (US; ties to Nigeria).

Out of the 60 attendees from 20 African countries, Lana Schreyer, Reatlegile Taukobong, Ntokoza Thonga, Snquobile Thwala, Tinyiko Makhubela and Ikechukwu Ejike are representing and participating in basketball activities which include skills stations, scrimmages and basketball games.

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