Thunder revolution: How city club is shaping the future of Kenyan basketball

Tylor Ongwae of Nairobi City Thunder takes a shot against MBB Blue Soldiers during their Basketball Africa League Elite 16 tournament at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium on November 28, 2024. [Stafford Ondego, Standard] When the history of Kenyan basketball is written, Nairobi City Thunder will feature prominently not just for its many successes but also for its impact on the sport locally and internationally. From professionalising the sport to nurturing local talent, Thunder or NCT as it is popularly known across borders has embarked on a mission to revolutionise basketball. They recently qualified for the prestigious Basketball Africa League (BAL) for s second season in a row as the Road to BAL Elite 16 East Division champions in addition to having retained their league title on an unbeaten run. These achievements are a testament of Thunder's ambitions to become one of the top clubs on the continent. Additionally, club chief of staff Marcel Awori revealed that the accomplishments are not just about Thunder but are part of a bigger vision to transform the entire Kenyan basketball ecosystem. "Everything we stand for at NCT and Twende is to develop the entire ecosystem. We have consistently engaged and included other players in our development. As we prepare for BAL, we are including local players in our preparations which also elevates their talents. What we do has a trickle-down effect on other clubs," Awori said. His sentiments were echoed by Thunder first assistant coach Rose Mshilla who reiterated that their impact on the local game is huge. "You cannot be a competitive side without having to go against actual competition. Clubs in Kenya are actually improving through the pathway that Thunder has set. Guys are trying to emulate that and, in the process, it is improving basketball within our ecosystem. We may be at the top but we are pulling others with us," Mshilla said. Club president Colin Rasmussen said that after their first BAL experience, they have built the core of the team on local players. "We gained experience from our first BAL appearance, one of the big lessons was that we had to double down and build our core squad around our Kenyan players. The Kenyan core of our team has risen up. They continue to reach new heights as we grow as a team because in basketball chemistry means a lot and we have started to see that pay off," Rasmussen said. With a laser focus on nurturing homegrown talent, Thunder is also set to improve the fortunes of the men's national team Kenya Morans which has been struggling on the international stage. With the likes of Tylor Ongwae, Albert Odero, Eugine Adera, Derrick Ogechi, Faheem Juma, Ariel Okal who all don Kenyan colours forming the core of Thunder and competing with creme de la creme of African basketball on the continental stage, Morans performance is also set to improve. Upcoming players will also benefit from Thunder's successful model that has proper structures with a youth team and vibrant basketball talent. As NBA and FIBA plan to transition BAL from its current qualification model to a franchise system, Thunder also dreams of becoming one of the 12 permanent franchises. Team manager Bernet Ojay revealed that the club has potential to become a franchise in the East Africa region. "We have every reason to work harder because we have bigger objectives for the club. Becoming one of the permanent franchises will be a greater milestone not just for us but for Kenyan basketball," Ojay said. He added that though it seems to be a very lofty goal, it's attainable because of the systems that the administration of the club has put in place. "It requires a lot of work and investment to be considered as one of the franchises but I believe that it can be done. Our management is committed to growing the club, our consistency as one of the top clubs in the region also shows our potential." Nairobi is projected as one of the probable cities to host a franchise giving Thunder an edge over other East African clubs. While Nairobi ticks some of the requirements to have a franchise, Thunder must build a modern 5000 to 7500-seater arena to be considered. Kasarani Indoor Arena has hosted the last two Road to BAL Elite 16 East Division events but does not meet the standards to host the BAL play-offs.

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