New heights, new records in 2026 !

The opening two conferences of the 2026 Basketball Africa League season delivered more than playoff drama. From packed arenas in Pretoria to historic finishes in Rabat, the BAL’s sixth edition has already rewritten parts of the league record books while confirming the rapid growth of basketball across the continent.

In South Africa, the Kalahari Conference set the tone. A total of 38,677 fans attended games at SunBet Arena in Pretoria, making it the most attended conference phase in BAL history so far.

On the court, the 2026 season has already produced some of the most explosive individual performances in BAL history.
The biggest headline came from Craig Randall II of the RSSB Tigers, who exploded for a historic 54 point performance against Dar City in Pretoria : the highest scoring game ever recorded in BAL competition. In the same game, Randall also broke the league’s single-game three-point record with 11 made shots from beyond the arc.

Days later, Damion Baugh of Al Ahly Ly registered the first triple-double in BAL history with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists against Dar City. Baugh also established a new BAL assists record with 18 !

In Rabat, Egyptian guard Zack Lofton delivered one of the standout offensive performances of the Sahara Conference, setting a conference record with eight made three-pointers in one game.

Longevity also became part of the BAL 2026 storyline through a group of veterans who have helped define the league since its launch in 2021. Ater Majok became the BAL’s all-time leader in minutes played, surpassing 1,123 career minutes during the Sahara Conference.
Three other players have now participated in all six BAL seasons since the creation of the competition: Solo Diabaté,Childe Dundao and Abdoulaye Harouna.

The BAL’s digital reach also reached a new level during the Sahara Conference in Rabat. The matchup between Club Africain and Al Ahly recorded more than 330,000 viewers on the league’s official YouTube broadcast, making it the most watched game in BAL streaming history.

Beyond the statistics, the first two conferences also reflected the league’s growing reach and maturity. Attendance records, rising competitive standards and historic individual performances all pointed toward a competition continuing to expand both on and off the court.

Two conferences into the season, BAL 2026 has already delivered landmark moments across multiple categories. With Kigali now approaching, the playoffs arrive carrying the momentum of a season that has already established itself as one of the most productive and competitive in BAL history.