Ruto, NBA Deputy Commissioner Tatum discuss basketball growth

President William Ruto with National Basketball Association (NBA) Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum on September 24, 2026. [PCS]

President William Ruto has held talks with NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum on Kenya’s partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The discussions focused on expanding basketball from the grassroots to the professional level and creating more opportunities for young Kenyan players.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of Ruto’s engagements in New York, centred on infrastructure, talent development and the expansion of basketball programmes across the country.

Ruto said the discussions reviewed progress in Kenya’s collaboration with NBA Africa and Basketball Africa League (BAL) franchises, as well as plans to strengthen facilities that can support the sport’s growing popularity.

“We discussed the progress of NBA Africa and Basketball Africa League franchises, development of the Railway City multi-purpose arena, refurbishment of Kasarani and continued investment in basketball courts,” Ruto said.

The President also highlighted the implementation of a memorandum of understanding between Kenya and the NBA on grassroots development.

Under the proposed plans, basketball courts could be incorporated into Affordable Housing Programme projects, potentially bringing playing facilities closer to communities and young people.

“We also reviewed implementation of our MoU on grassroots development and plans to integrate basketball courts into Affordable Housing Programme projects,” he said.

The infrastructure discussions come as Kenya seeks to expand sporting facilities beyond traditional competition venues and make sports participation more accessible to young people.

President William Ruto, Mama Rachel Ruto joins National Basketball Association (NBA) Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum on September 24, 2026. [PCS].

For basketball, improved courts, coaching and organised competitions are important components of developing players who can progress from community programmes to higher levels of competition.

Ruto also said Kenya plans to deepen cooperation between the NBA and the Kenya Tourism Board, using sport as a platform to promote the country while creating additional opportunities for young people.

“We will also deepen collaboration between the NBA and the Kenya Tourism Board to promote Kenya through sport and expand opportunities for our young people,” he said.

The meeting followed Ruto’s attendance at a WNBA game between the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty, where he watched Kenyan basketball player Madina Okot in action.

Her presence at the professional level has added visibility to the potential pathway available to Kenyan players seeking opportunities in international basketball.

Kenya’s engagement with the NBA has been developing over several years. In 2023, the NBA opened its Nairobi office and announced plans to support grassroots basketball programmes in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, Ministry of Education and Kenya Basketball Federation.

A further expansion came through the M-PESA Jr. NBA programme, a partnership involving NBA Africa and Safaricom launched in February 2025. The programme combines basketball development with financial literacy and targets more than 10,000 boys and girls in Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret and Kisumu.

Its activities include regional tournaments, coaching development, basketball clinics and financial literacy sessions. The inaugural national championships were held in April 2025 at Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa.

The programmes point to a broader effort to make basketball development more structured, moving beyond talent development.

While facilities such as the Railway City multi-purpose arena and refurbished Kasarani can provide venues for high-level occasional competitions towards sustained coaching, talent identification and community participation.

While facilities such as the Railway City multi-purpose arena and refurbished Kasarani can provide venues for high-level competition, grassroots courts and organised programmes are intended to widen the pool of young players entering the sport.

For Kenya, the next phase will involve translating the commitments into functioning facilities, expanded grassroots programmes and clearer pathways through which talented players can progress to professional and international competition.

The NBA partnership also gives Kenya an opportunity to connect sport with other sectors, including tourism, youth development and skills building, as the country seeks to strengthen its position within Africa’s growing basketball ecosystem.