French President, Emmanuel Macron and NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, have announced a comprehensive plan to elevate basketball in France and Africa by collaborating on various initiatives.
The French Government and NBA will form a working group and coordinate with the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) to develop these plans further, culminating with a formal partnership that will be announced in conjunction with the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games in Paris.
The French Government and the NBA plan to work together on various initiatives such as sharing best practices across team and league business and basketball operations to help grow the French professional basketball league and deepen engagement with French fans.
They also plan to conduct grassroots basketball development programming, interactive fan events and player appearances that will bring the NBA experience directly to fans in Paris.
Additionally, the NBA and the FFBB will expand their existing basketball development programming that has reached more than a quarter of a million French youth over the past decade, including through the Jr. NBA Challenge Benjamin(e)s program.
Commenting on their collaboration, Macron, said: “I am delighted and proud of the NBA’s choice to make France and Paris one of its privileged playgrounds in the world.”
“It reflects the special and long-standing relationship that France has with the NBA.
“With the excellence of our training, the performance of our national teams and the hosting of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games, we now have the opportunity to go further and engage in a useful and lasting partnership for the benefit of French basketball, as well as in support of our development policy in Africa.
“I am very pleased with this cooperation which will delight basketball fans and practitioners in our country and will contribute to our project to make France a great nation of sport,” he said.
Silver, added: “We’re honored to work with President Macron, the French Basketball Federation and the LNB to build on the tremendous momentum around basketball and the NBA in France.”
“President Macron strongly believes in the power of basketball to inspire and connect people everywhere, and we see enormous potential to grow the game and drive economic opportunity around sport in France and Africa,” he said.
France and the NBA also plan to invest in basketball infrastructure in Africa, including multipurpose facilities that can host BAL and NBA games and drive economic growth in communities across the continent.
The announcement comes after the NBA Foundation received a US$1 million donation from Google Pixel.
