Chiney Ogwumike became the first female Basketball Africa League Ambassador, joining a distinguished list of other ambassadors, including Ian Mahinmi, Luol Deng, Pops Mensah Bonsu and Joakim Noah.
Ogwumike’s Ambassadorship was announced by BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall at the NBA Africa All-Star Luncheon in San Francisco, part of the NBA All-Star 2025.
Who is Chiney Ogwumike?
Chiney Ogwumike’s family hails from Delta State in Nigeria. The 32-year-old has a long record of impacting on and off the court. She played for the Stanford Cardinals women’s basketball team (2010-2014) before the Connecticut Sun drafted her first overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft. She joined the Los Angeles Sparks in 2019 and re-signed a multi-year contract with the team in 2021 but did not play in the 2024 season.
She represented the USA in U18, U19, and National Team competitions. Since then, she has become a great admirer of sports media and works full-time as a basketball analyst for ESPN.
What Chiney Brings to BAL
Chiney is a force on and off the court, and her involvement with the BAL allows her to continue making an impact for causes she cares about. She has been involved in social causes supporting girls and women and the growth of women’s sports. She and her sister, Nneka Ogwumike, have carried out various campaigns to uplift the lives of girls and women in Nigeria.
In 2014, the two were at the front lines calling upon UNICEF to focus on education and child protection rights in Nigeria. Her experience as a professional player and a sports analyst will also be an area where she can extend her expertise to the girls and women she will interact with under the BAL activities.
What is BAL?
The Basketball Africa League, founded by FIBA in cooperation with the NBA, aims to grow the sport on the continent by providing an avenue for elite athletes to compete. The league emphasizes corporate social responsibility in different African communities. It is in its fifth season, and this year’s finale will be in South Africa.
