Football "may be the number one sport in most of Africa, but basketball is growing fast and the NBA has set its sights on the continent to provide future stars," and fans, according to Vladimir Duthiers of CNN. NBA Africa Managing Dir Amadou Gallo Fall "has embarked on a continent-wide tour including stop-offs in Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Africa." The "talent hunt is part of the NBA's 'Basketball without Borders' program, a community outreach project for young people, and is key to expanding the sport's global reach." Gallo Fall said, "Making the game accessible, increasing participation, growing a fan base, that's the real priority." Basketball without Borders "takes the top youth players, aged 19 and under, from all over the world and invites them to train with NBA stars and coaches." The program "aims to promote basketball outside the U.S." Gallo Fall: "Part of making the game accessible is also putting it on the televisions. More players are going to come from the continent so we are going to have (NBA) games here, just like in Europe" (CNN, 9/24).
