NBA Africa to Build 55 Courts in DR Congo in Honour of Mutombo
NBA Africa and Quest Water Global have announced a multi-year partnership to build or renovate 55 basketball courts across the Democratic Republic of Congo by 2030, in honour of late NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo.
The project will include both full-size and 3-on-3 courts, with Quest Water Global serving as the NBA’s official infrastructure development partner in the DRC. It forms part of NBA Africa’s wider commitment to build or renovate 1,000 courts across Africa over the next decade.
The initiative began on September 29 with the unveiling of a new outdoor court at Cercle Onatra in Kinshasa, where Mutombo began playing basketball before moving to the United States. The court features his iconic No. 55 jersey number at centre court and is expected to serve thousands of young people in the community each year.
NBA Africa also held a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA clinic for 80 local coaches during the unveiling. A second court is expected to open in Mutombo’s hometown of Mbuji-Mayi in the coming weeks.
Mutombo, who died in 2024 aged 58, was an eight-time NBA All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year. Beyond basketball, he was known for humanitarian work in the DRC, including the construction of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in Kinshasa.
The court-building programme aims to preserve Mutombo’s legacy while giving more young Congolese access to safe sporting spaces and opportunities to develop through basketball.
