Egypt's Hassan, Malauch of South Sudan named MVPs of BWB Africa camp

JOHANNESBURG (South Africa) - Aisha Hassan of Egypt and South Sudan's Khaman Maluach were named Most Valuable Players of the 19th edition of the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in Johannesburg.

The two talents took home the top individual honors after four days of on and off court skills training at the American International School of Johannesburg in South Africa. It was the 15th time that the FIBA and NBA's global basketball development outreach program took place in the South African city - the first time since 2018.

The 2023 edition of the BWB Africa camp brought together 40 boys and 40 girls from more than 25 African countries. The campers were coached by two-time NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat; U.S.; ties to Nigeria), 2022 NBA All-Star Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers; U.S.), 2022 NBA champion Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors; Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic; U.S.).

There were also five current and former NBA head coaches who served as BWB Africa 2023 coaches: Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff; two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Nigeria Men’s National Team head coach and Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown; 2018 NBA Coach of the Year Dwane Casey (most recently with the Detroit Pistons); Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham; and veteran NBA coach Dave Joerger (most recently with the Philadelphia 76ers).

The BWB Africa camp has been wildly successful over the past two decades. Thirty-eight former BWB campers were among the 120 international players on opening-night rosters for the 2022-23 NBA season, including 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2011), who became the first former BWB camper to be named NBA MVP, and 2019 NBA champion Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012 in Johannesburg).

In total, 12 former BWB Africa campers have been drafted into the NBA since 2003. Fifty-four former BWB Africa campers have been featured on Basketball Africa League (BAL) team rosters over the league’s first three seasons.

Suzannah Whall of South Africa took the honors as girls 3-Point Champion with Cameroon's Gisele Kipo being named Defensive MVP and Shanaia Matusse of Mozambique picking up the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award.

Arnold Eyadi Kenfack of Cameroon was crowned boys 3-Point champion while Mouhamed Camara of Senegal was the Defensive MVP and Mahamat Tahir of Chad received the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award.

Girls All Stars: Leila Elsanadily (Egypt), Arwa Ghorbel (Tunisia), Aisha Hassan (Egypt), Gisele Kipo (Cameroon), Salma Khedr (Egypt), Filomena Luis (Angola), Eya Nasri (Tunisia), Joanie Rakotonanahary (Madagascar), Tacko Sy (Senegal), Fatoumata Samake (Mali).

Boys All Stars: Mouhamed Camara (Senegal), Amar Ankou Diop (Senegal), Karim Elgizawy (Egypt), Myles Hosten (Nigeria), Chouhaybou Keita (Mali), Khaman Maluach (South Sudan), Assane Mandian (Senegal), Albert-Philippe Ntungicimpaye (Burundi), Aginaldo Neto (Angola), Mahamat Tahir (Chad).

FIBA