Whetting the appetite of basketball fans everywhere, this event marks the start of revealing exceptional African talent to a broader international stage.
The showcase is the brainchild of professional basketball players Isaac Lugudde-Katwe – or LK4 as he is known to his fans – and Quintin Denyssen. “We have an abundance of great talent on the African continent, so many unpolished diamonds, and we want to unearth this talent on a platform that allows for it to be picked up,” says Denyssen. “This is about creating great stories where lives are changed through successful scouting from our showcase to teams in the USA and Europe.”
Renowned NBA skills coach Micah Lancaster will be making a special appearance at the event, taking the elite players through intensive, organised workouts based on "multi-tasking and infusing chaos into controlled efficient training."
Lancaster has worked with NBA legends like Kobe Bryant, Avery Bradley, Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving to mention a few, and players from all over the globe travel to experience his innovative and empowering techniques.
The Showcase kicks off on Friday, 25 March at 17:30 with Lancaster taking the players through skills training, followed by the Africa Hoop Showcase team introducing their event concept and future goals. Afterwards the elite players will go head-to-head in a game that will impress. Further games will take place on the Saturday and Sunday.
“Basketball is growing rapidly as a sport in South Africa and we intend for this platform to positively grow the game in the country,” continues Denyssen. “We have a passion for the game and as its custodians; we must nurture it and give back. Basketball is more than a game – it’s a way of life that opens many doors.”