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NEW ORLEANS -- The NBA will hold its second NBA Africa Game this summer in South Africa, it was announced Saturday. Team Africa will play Team World at Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg on Aug. 5, the NBA and the NBPA confirmed. "Basketball is witnessing explosive growth in Africa," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. "Our return to Johannesburg this summer is part of the league's continued commitment to bring the authentic NBA experience to fans around the world. I would like to thank the NBPA for their participation and for being terrific partners on this game and surrounding events." Silver said the goal is to eventually have either a preseason or regular season game in Africa like the NBA has done overseas in other locations like Europe and China. "That is always our ambition," Silver said. "We have seen that we can do it in terms of preseason even with all that travel. I would say the infrastructure isn't quite in place yet for doing a preseason game. "And even if we could, I think there is a benefit to doing it during summer. It is still a squeeze for time because the coaches are anxious to get their players in shape and ready for the season. When we can go during the summer, it is a whole different environment, going to museums, learning about the community, helping people. We will get there." The NBA recently announced the launching of Africa's first elite NBA basketball training center in Senegal, a major step forward in the continent's player development. The game will be played after the 15th Basketball Without Borders, Africa, and will benefit UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and SOS Children's Villages South Africa (SOSCVSA). Team Africa will be composed of players from Africa, including Orlando center Bismack Biyombo and Denver point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. Team World, with players from the rest of the world on the roster, will include Portland's C.J. McCollum -- last season's Most Improved Player. "I just want to let them know that we will never forget where we come from," said former NBA All-Star and current NBA ambassador Dikembe Mutombo. "We want to do whatever it takes to make sure that the game of basketball grows in the continent and that we give them all the resources that they need for them to develop maybe one day to becoming like Dikembe Mutombo, Serge Ibaka, Mudiay, Bismack, Hakeem Olajuwon, the late Manute Bol. "Even if not to the NBA, have a chance to accomplish college with a free tuition is very high. And that is the door that we are trying to break in... If you look at the number of African kids who are playing in American college level is very high. The number is almost like 200 to 300. In the NBA, the number continues to go high. I think that would make me happy every day. that would make me happy every day." The first NBA Africa Game was played in 2015 in Johannesburg before a sellout crowd. "NBA players are among the most popular athletes in the world, and we're excited to continue the game's global growth with this second game in Africa," NBPA executive director Michele Roberts said. "Our players remain committed to growing the game on the continent, and this showcase will continue to build on the positive momentum we generated with the historic first game in 2015."
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