The Basketball Africa League (BAL) will feature 12 club teams from across the continent and is due to launch in January 2020.

The announcement was made by FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis and NBA commissioner Adam Silver at the NBA All-Star 2019 Africa Luncheon in Charlotte in the United States,

They claimed the new league will be built on the foundation of current FIBA club competitions in Africa.

"On FIBA’s behalf, it’s a huge joy to see our partnership with the NBA enter unchartered territory as we work together for the first time to maximise the potential of professional basketball in Africa," Zagklis said.

"This is a natural extension of what we have done through the joint initiative that is 'Basketball Without Borders', which helps find, develop and nurture young talented players all around the world, including in Africa.

"The Basketball Africa League will enable us to build on the solid foundation laid by FIBA Africa and relaunch the continent’s club competition to offer the ultimate platform for the very best clubs and players."

FIBA Africa executive director Alphonse Bilé who attended the luncheon, added that it was a "historic day" for basketball in Africa.

"We’re excited to work closely with the NBA to develop and put in a place a professional league like none that we have ever seen in our region before," he said. 

"Through the Basketball Africa League, we can provide the many great clubs and players with the best possible environment to compete for the highest stakes.

"The implementation of this league is also vital to our young up-and-coming players in Africa as it gives them something to take aim at: they can look at becoming players who can play and evolve in these competitions, right on their continent."

The NBA and FIBA plan to conduct qualification tournaments later this year to identify the 12 teams that would represent several African countries, including Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia, with no more than two teams from the same country able to qualify.

They also plan to dedicate financial support and resources toward the continued development of Africa’s basketball ecosystem, including training for players, coaches and referees, and infrastructure investment.