En RDC, la NBA Africa va construire 55 terrains en hommage à Dikembe Mutombo
NBA Africa and Quest Water Global today announced a multi-year collaboration that will see the construction or renovation of 55 basketball courts in the Democratic Republic of Congo by 2030, in tribute to Dikembe Mutombo, one of the greatest figures in African basketball.
The first basketball court was inaugurated where it all began: at the Cercle Onatra in Kinshasa, the very spot where a young Dikembe Mutombo made his first rebounds before conquering the NBA. The number 55 is now painted in the center of the court. Unveiled on September 29, this court is the first in a series of 55 facilities that will be built or renovated across the DRC in the coming years.
Quest Water Global has become the official partner of NBA Africa for infrastructure development in the DRC. The company, specializing in water access solutions and infrastructure, will support NBA Africa in this program, which is also intended to contribute to the league's broader goal of building or renovating 1,000 courts across Africa over the next ten years.
“Our collaboration with Quest Water Global will expand access to basketball in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that holds a special place in the history of our sport due to the significant impact and lasting legacy of Dikembe Mutombo,” said Clare Akamanzi, Executive Director of NBA Africa. “Through this multi-year commitment, we are creating more opportunities for young people in the DRC to follow in Dikembe’s footsteps, both as players and as leaders.”
After Kinshasa, the project will continue in Mbuji-Mayi, the hometown of the former pivot, where a second pitch is to be inaugurated in the coming weeks.
In Kinshasa, the event was also marked by a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA session bringing together 80 local coaches, in order to strengthen the training and development of basketball among young people.
For Rose Mutombo, the legend's widow, this project perpetuates convictions dear to her husband: "Dikembe saw in basketball a way to teach discipline, leadership, resilience and a sense of service.
I hope that this field, and those that follow, will inspire future generations to pursue their education and discover the opportunities that sport can create.
On and off the court, Mutombo's impact remains immense in the DRC. A four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time All-Star, he also dedicated a portion of his life to humanitarian work. In 2007, he notably contributed to the opening of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in Kinshasa, built in memory of his mother.
Mutombo, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 58, remains one of the most powerful symbols of African basketball. With this new equipment, NBA Africa aims to strengthen its local ties and offer young Congolese people spaces to play, learn, and perhaps follow in the footsteps of someone who began his own journey on a court in Kinshasa.
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