April 23, 2026
First-time facts from the 2026 Sahara Conference
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Who doesn't love a good historical fact? There will be no shortage of first-time facts when the 2026 Sahara Conference gets underway on Thursday, 24 April in Rabat, the capital city of Morocco.
Since the inception of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2021, many milestones have been reached that have helped shape the league’s current existence.
We have seen everything from jaw-dropping individual performances and unexpected comebacks to record-setting displays.
With this season's Sahara Conference just around the corner, we've compiled a list of essential facts for you.
- Half of the six teams in the 2026 Sahara Conference are making their BAL debut. These teams are Club Africain (Tunisia), JCA Kings (Côte d'Ivoire) and Maktown Flyers (Nigeria).
- Five of the six head coaches in the conference will be calling plays in the league for the first time. Said El Bouzidi of FUS Rabat is entering his fourth BAL season.
- Al Ahly are one of two teams this season, alongside Petro de Luanda, who are set to try to win the league twice.
- France international Axel Toupane (ASC Ville de Dakar), who was part of the 2017 G League-winning Toronto 905 team alongside BAL players Jonathan Jordan and Yanick Moreira, is the first NBA champion to play for a BAL team.
- Abdelhakim Zouita of FUS Rabat is the only former FIBA Africa Champions Cup MVP (2017) still playing professionally in Africa.
- Stephane Konate, who made his BAL debut with the ABC Fighters in 2023, is set to become the first former player to coach a team in the league.
- If things go according to plan, Solo Diabaté could become the first player to win three BAL titles if the other two-time champion, Michael Fakuade, does not join a team for the play-offs.