Nigeria’s rising basketball talent Obinna Ekezie Jr. delivered a standout performance at the 10th Annual Basketball Without Borders (BWB) All-Star Camp in Los Angeles, claiming the Defensive MVP award and earning a spot on the prestigious 2026 All-Star Team.
The young prospect, son of former NBA player Obinna Ekezie, led the African contingent with an impressive display of athleticism, defensive discipline and court awareness.
Ekezie Jr. was named among the 2026 All-Stars alongside Cheickh Niang (Italy; ties to Senegal) and Caleb Ourigou, underlining Africa’s growing influence on the global basketball stage.
His Defensive MVP recognition further cemented Nigeria’s reputation for producing elite-level basketball prospects capable of excelling on international platforms.
Africa was strongly represented at the four-day camp, with top prospects from Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Morocco and Nigeria participating.
Among them were Franck Belibi (Cameroon), Peter Julius (Nigeria), Noah El Baze (Morocco), and BWB Africa 2025 Boys All-Star and NBA Academy Africa prospect Ramsey Guessagba-Sato.
Their participation reflects the depth of emerging talent across the continent.
The camp brought together 40 elite prospects from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania for intensive athletic testing, skill development sessions, 3-on-3 competitions, life-skills seminars and competitive 5-on-5 games.
The event was held at the UCLA Health Training Center, the official training facility of the Los Angeles Lakers, providing the young athletes with exposure to a world-class professional environment.
Current and former NBA and FIBA players and coaches guided the prospects, including Italy’s Danilo Gallinari and former NBA forward James Gist.
Members of the NBA Coaching Development Programme also served as camp coaches, such as former NBA players Scotty Hopson, Khalid El-Amin, Craig Smith, and former WNBA player Meighan Simmons.
Camp Directors included: Patrick Hunt, President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches, Chris Ebersole, Director of Player Development and Experience for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Luca Desta, a longtime NBA front office executive.
The camp concluded with African prospects earning top honours, further highlighting the continent’s expanding footprint in global basketball development.
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