NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 20 – Nigeria-British-Canadian basketball star Masai Ujiri says he is overwhelmed and overjoyed by the huge number of young players who stand to benefit from his efforts to improve basketball infrastructure in Kenya.
Ujiri, born to a Nigerian father and Kenyan mother, said the country holds a special place in his heart and has been integral to the success of his Giants of Africa (GoA) initiative.
The program seeks to use basketball as tool for enriching and empowering African youth and seeks to construct 100 basketball courts across the continent, with 25 thus far built in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Senegal.
“I am overwhelmed just seeing all of these young children gathered here today. Thank you for allowing GOA to be part of you…to be part of the local community. This (GOA) has been a key part of my life; it is something I have always wanted to do. We started out small but we have grown into a big team,” Ujiri, the vice president of NBA side Toronto Raptors, said.
He was speaking on Friday evening during the unveiling of the refurbished Diwopa Basketball Court in Kayole, Nairobi.
The court is the ninth to be unveiled by GOA in the country and the third to be opened this week after two more at Dagoretti High School and Umoja 2 Estate.
The unveiling ceremony was followed by a basketball clinic for boys and girls, conducted by local NBA and GOA coaches.
Ujiri, who masterminded Raptors to their first-ever NBA title in 2019, expressed hope that the refurbished court will be a conducive ground for the development of talents from the local community.
“Diwopa is the first court our foundation ever built eight years ago. Returning to such a special community means a lot to us. Our hope is that the newly upgraded facility will uplift youth and help strengthen the entire community,” he said.
Echoing Ujiri’s comments, GOA co-founder Godwin Okinje said that infrastructural development is pivotal to the growth of basketball talents across the continent.
“Of course, as they say, you can’t go fishing without a net. It is the same case for basketball…you need proper courts to enable young talented, basketballers to enjoy themselves while improving on themselves. We look forward to building more of such courts, not only in Nairobi but in other areas as well,” Okinje, a professional scout for the Brooklyn Nets, said.