Things to Know About the 2024 BAL Combine

Things to know about the 2024 BAL Combine 

As the Basketball Africa League (BAL) gears up to its fourth season, so is league’s highly anticipated Combine event, which is scheduled for January 5-7 in Rabat, Morocco.

Over the past four years there’s been a growing interest in the BAL from players, coaches, scouts and basketball executives, making the BAL Combine an opportunity to answer some key questions about the league. 

The bal.nba.com sheds light on the 2024 BAL Combine.

WHO ARE THE 2024 BAL COMBINE CAMPERS

The three-day scouting event will feature 30 players from Africa, Europe, the U.S. and around the world.

Among the 2024 BAL Combine campers are four players who featured in the 2022 BAL season, including Makhtar Gueye (Senegal/Ferroviario da Beira), Ibrahima Fofana (Guinea/SLAC), Jawad Adekoya (Nigeria/Kwara Falcons) and Kelvin Amayo (Nigeria/Stade Malien). 

Other confirmed players include Bilal Crucifix, Abdelrahman Abdelhaleem, Zion Fortune, Jordan Doss, Zack Bates and Jordan Allen.

WHEN AND VENUE OF THE 2024 BAL COMBINE

This year’s BAL will take place Saturday, Jan. 6 and Sunday, Jan. 7 at the Ibn Yassine Omnisport Hall in Rabat, Morocco.

This is the first BAL Combine in Africa after previous editions in New York City and Paris.

WHAT PLAYERS NEED TO DO

The players will take part in anthropometric and athletic testing, positional skill development and 5-on-5 games in front of team executives, coaches and scouts.

20 GIRLS TO BE PART OF BAL4HER CAMP

On Jan. 5 as part of the Combine, the BAL will host a U-23 “BAL4HER” identification camp that will bring together 20 female players and four female coaches from across Morocco to participate in on-court basketball development programming. 

The camp will identify the top 20 girls from across Africa who will participate in a five-day camp in Rwanda in conjunction with the 2024 BAL Playoffs and Finals from May 24 to June 1.

The league will also host a coaching clinic for 200 local coaches.  

MEET THE 2024 BAL COMBINE CAMP DIRECTOR

Former NBA player Robert Pack will serve as Combine Camp Director. 

Pack has left his fingerprints in the BAL, having led Rwanda Energy Group (REG) to the 2022 BAL Quarter-Finals where the former Rwanda champions fell short to Forces Armees et Police of Cameroon. 

During his 13-year NBA career, former point guard Pack played for the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Bullets, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Hornets.

He previously served as assistant coach for the LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards.  

BAL LEADERSHIP IN CAMP

BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall, FIBA Africa and BAL Board President Anibal Manave, two-time NBA All-Star and BAL Ambassador Ian Mahinmi (Benin) will also attend and interact with the participants.

PURPOSE OF THE BAL COMBINE

According to the BAL “As we continue to establish the BAL as a world-class professional basketball league, the goal is to attract top talent from around the world including the African Diaspora.”

WHY MOROCCO

This year’s Combine speaks to Morocco’s rich basketball tradition and builds on NBA Africa and BAL's previous initiatives in the kingdom, including Jr. NBA leagues and clinics.

2023 Moroccan champions (FUS Rabat) have earned a place in the finals of the BAL Season 4. Their qualification is a testament to their excellence, having finished second in a fiercely competitive West Division’s Elite 16 held in Yaoundé, Cameroon.