The documentary series Origin: The Story of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) is set to make its world premiere at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
The Festival will take place on 8 September 2025.
RISE OF BASKETBALL IN AFRICA
This significant event marks a major milestone in chronicling the rise of a basketball league that has transformed the sports landscape across Africa.
Co-directed by Tebogo Malope and co-produced by Akin Omotoso, Origin captures the journey of the BAL. BAL is the NBA’s first collaboration to operate a league outside North America.
The series follows the league’s inaugural season and playoff tournament, featuring 12 top club teams from the continent.
The BAL is the brainchild of visionaries Amadou Gallo Fall, the league’s president, and Masai Ujiri, the co-founder of Giants of Africa and a former executive of the Toronto Raptors.
SHOWCASING AFRICAN TALENT
Together, they realised a decades-long ambition to establish elite basketball competition across Africa.
“For Africa, this league is more than sport, it’s a symbol of belief and resilience,” Ujiri stated. “It elevates African talent to the global stage. I’m proud this journey will reach the world through this series.”
His words will deeply resonate with South African audiences, who have watched the league’s growth firsthand in Pretoria and beyond.
The BAL’s fifth season playoffs and finals were held at SunBet Arena in Pretoria in June 2025. It drew in notable South African media figures, artists, and former NBA stars such as Tracy McGrady.
The guests illustrated the league’s growing prestige and the significance of basketball as a unifier across African cultures and communities.
BASKETBALL AND THE LEAGUE’S HISTORICAL IMPACT
Amadou Gallo Fall described the BAL as “the culmination of decades of work” between the NBA and FIBA. Their goal is to provide African players with a clear pathway to develop their talent.
“We are grateful to the filmmakers for documenting the league’s historic impact on lives and economies across the continent,” he said.
The documentary not only highlights the league’s sporting achievements but also explores its wider socio-economic influence.
It touches on how basketball is building bridges between Africa and North America, fostering two-way opportunities for players and entrepreneurs alike.
THE DOCUSERIES
The series also features exclusive interviews with key figures such as former US President Barack Obama, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
NBA champion Pascal Siakam from Cameroon and South African-linked Grammy-winning artist and BAL player J. Cole will also make appearances.
Richard Brown, the documentary’s executive producer and co-director, expressed pride in telling stories that transcend basketball.
“From Dakar to Kigali and Lagos to Cairo, the BAL reflects the hopes of a dynamic generation of young Africans. It symbolises the continent’s limitless potential.”
BASKETBALL IN SOUTH AFRICA
For South Africa, a country with a rich sporting heritage and vibrant basketball culture, Origin promises to be a powerful testament to the continent’s new sporting era.
Origin: The Story of the Basketball Africa League presents a vivid, compelling portrait of African basketball’s rise.
It honours the passion and perseverance that built the BAL and positions South Africa as a key stage in its extraordinary journey.
WHAT DOES THE RISE OF THE BASKETBALL AFRICA LEAGUE MEAN FOR SPORTS IN SOUTH AFRICA?
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