Lloyd Pierce lands in Kigali to coach Basketball Without Borders as the NBA doubles down on Africa’s development pipeline. The staff includes Tamika Catchings and other veterans, underscoring the program’s punch to grow coaching know-how and access to basketball paths. Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin, BWB alumni now on the Pacers, personify the payoff of this long-game investment. African-born players feature on 2024-25 rosters at a record pace, signaling a broader fantasy upside as talent hits the mainstream.

The piece foregrounds infrastructure—courts, equipment, teaching, health—plus early-life pathways to college and pro basketball. Siakam’s Cameroon-born arc from camp to NBA Finals stardom illustrates the potential of these pipelines, a theme Pierce champions as Indiana braces for a season without Tyrese Haliburton while eyes stay fixed on development and opportunity.