Rabat – Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), through its sports subsidiary EVOSPORT, has launched the very first Junior NBA League in Morocco. The project, carried out in partnership with NBA Africa and Act4Community, aims to make basketball a tool for youth development, education, and social inclusion.
The launch event took place on Friday on UM6P’s campus in Benguerir. It was attended by Hicham El Habti, President of UM6P, representatives from Act4Community and EVOSPORT, NBA executives, and five-time NBA champion Ron Harper.
The new initiative uses basketball to develop young talent, promote equal opportunities for boys and girls, and position Morocco as a leading sports hub in Africa.
The presence of the basketball legend highlighted the international importance of the initiative and its mission to inspire young Moroccans through sport, said UM6P in a press release.
Speaking to Morocco World News, Amadou Gallo Fall, President of NBA Africa, said that the initiative is a “game-changer.”
“It will not only popularize basketball but also give young Moroccan boys and girls the opportunity to play, to learn, and to grow with the values of the game,” he said. Basketball teaches teamwork, discipline, respect, and leadership, “qualities that help young people become better citizens and stronger members of their communities,” he added.
The program has three main goals, developing young talent by offering professional-level basketball training aligned with international standards, promoting inclusion and equal opportunity by ensuring that both boys and girls can participate equally, and positioning Morocco as a sports hub in Africa by combining training, performance, and innovation.
More than 2,000 boys and girls, aged 12 to 16, will take part across five cities, including Benguerir, Khouribga, Laayoune, El Jadida, and Safi. Each city will have 30 teams, 15 boys’ teams and 15 girls’ teams, who will compete under a fair and balanced “Draft” system.
More than a sporting project
The Junior NBA League Morocco is about more than competition, says the statement. It will include training sessions with certified coaches, awareness programs, and the certification of over 50 local coaches under Junior NBA standards. The aim is to build a long-term pipeline of talent and strengthen basketball culture in the country.
The initiative also connects with the NBA Basketball School in Morocco, which combines sports training with educational values. Supported by Act4Community and in coordination with the Ministry of National Education, the program is designed to create a strong and sustainable sports ecosystem that benefits youth and local communities.
The new initiative uses basketball to develop young talent, promote equal opportunities for boys and girls, and position Morocco as a leading sports hub in Africa.
“Through this partnership, our ambition is to go beyond the realm of sport and turn it into a societal project. Training in basketball also means training in discipline, teamwork, and openness,” said Ismail Lyoubi, CEO of EVOSPORT.
He told MWN that the three-year initiative is “designed with long-term expansion in mind, with plans to extend the program to additional cities beyond the initial five.”