The NBA named VP & Managing Dir for Africa AMADOU GALLO FALL President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Fall will assume his role immediately while assisting in the transition and search for a new Managing Dir of the NBA in Africa. Fall joined the NBA in January '10 (NBA). ESPN.com's Marc Spears notes the BAL, a new pro basketball league "showcasing 12 teams from different leagues across Africa, is scheduled to begin play" in '20. Fall said, "We're looking forward to getting it off the ground. We're working closely with FIBA to build a compelling property." The BAL will begin with the "top professional clubs from leagues in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia." A source said that teams will "travel to one site at a time to compete in a set number of games." Approximately 40 games total are "expected to be played" in the BAL beginning in March '20, and "concluding with a championship game in May." Fall called the BAL the "missing link" for the NBA in Africa. He said, "We're looking forward to now building the entire ecosystem" (ESPN.com, 5/28).
