South African basketball veteran, former national team player, coach, administrator, and marketing executive appointed to lead NBL-Africa into a new era of international basketball opportunity
May 21st, 2026 | Johannesburg, South Africa — The National Basketball League-Africa, known as NBL-Africa, is proud to officially announce the appointment of William Price as the new Commissioner of NBL-Africa, marking a major leadership step forward as the league prepares to expand its presence across the African basketball landscape.
Price brings a powerful combination of basketball experience, leadership, marketing knowledge, player development passion, and deep South African basketball roots to the role. His appointment comes at a critical time as NBL-Africa continues building a platform designed to create real opportunities for unsigned players, college prospects, professional hopefuls, coaches, teams, sponsors, and basketball communities throughout the continent.
A longtime basketball figure in South Africa, Price began playing the game at age 16 with Poverios in Boksburg, where he quickly made an impact by winning an U16 championship and earning selection for ETBA, provincial tournament play, and SA Schools. His playing journey later included time with Unaio, the Pretoria Bulls in the National Basketball League, the Johannesburg Spartans in the Premier Basketball League, and selection to represent South Africa internationally.
In 1991, Price was selected to play on the first South African team to represent the country at the William Jones Cup in Taipei, Taiwan. He also played college basketball in the United States as a walk-on at David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, before returning to South Africa to continue his professional basketball career with the Johannesburg Spartans. In 1997, he earned selection to the South African National Team for competition in Dakar, Senegal.
Beyond his playing career, Price has served the game as a coach, administrator, academy founder, and basketball advocate. He has coached multiple teams in local leagues and tournaments, served as a Junior NBA assistant coach for U14 boys and girls, worked as a selector for the Soncini OR Tambo Games in Johannesburg, and established the Spartans Basketball Academy in Brixton in 2022. His background also includes involvement with Spartans Masters Basketball, SAMBA Marketing & PR, and the local organizing committee for SAMBA Johannesburg 2022.
Price also brings more than 30 years of experience in digital marketing, destination marketing, public relations, business administration, and agency work, making him uniquely positioned to help NBL-Africa grow not only as a basketball league, but as a professional sports brand with global reach.
A Commissioner Built for the Moment
As Commissioner of NBL-Africa, Price will be responsible for helping guide the league’s growth, developing relationships across African basketball communities, strengthening the league’s visibility, supporting player development initiatives, and helping position NBL-Africa as a serious pathway for athletes seeking college, domestic, and international professional opportunities.
NBL-Africa was created to become more than a basketball league. It is being built as a continental opportunity platform for athletes who need exposure, structure, film, verified stats, professional-level competition, and access to international basketball networks.
The league’s mission is to provide a professional basketball environment for men and women across Africa while creating bridges to opportunities in the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and other international basketball markets.
“I am deeply honored to be named Commissioner of NBL-Africa,” said William Price, Commissioner of NBL-Africa. “Basketball has been part of my life for more than 40 years, and I have seen firsthand what this game can do for young people, communities, and countries when it is organized, promoted, and developed the right way. My expectation for NBL-Africa is that we build a league that gives African athletes real visibility, real structure, and real opportunity. We want to create a platform where players can be seen, coaches can grow, communities can rally behind their teams, and African basketball can continue earning the global respect it deserves.”
Price added, “This league is about development, exposure, professionalism, and opportunity. We want NBL-Africa to become a place where young players believe they have a pathway — whether that pathway leads to college basketball, professional basketball, or leadership within the game. Africa has the talent. Now we must help build the platform.”
NBL-Africa Showcase Coming to Durban October 9th
As part of its official launch and player identification efforts, NBL-Africa will host the NBL-Africa Showcase in Durban, South Africa, beginning October 9th, 2026.
The showcase will serve as a major opportunity for unsigned players, emerging prospects, and athletes seeking professional and United States college basketball exposure. The event will allow players to compete in front of league representatives, coaches, evaluators, and basketball decision-makers connected to the NBL-Africa and NBL international development network.
The showcase will focus on athletes looking to take the next step in their basketball journey, including players seeking professional opportunities, college opportunities, international exposure, player evaluation, game film, and development pathways.
About NBL-Africa
NBL-Africa is an international basketball development league designed to create opportunities for athletes, coaches, teams, and basketball communities across the African continent. The league’s mission is to help grow the game of basketball in Africa while giving players access to structured competition, professional branding, international exposure, game film, player promotion, and pathways to college and professional opportunities.
NBL-Africa is built to serve unsigned men and women, young prospects, post-grad athletes, former college players, and developing professionals who are looking for a serious platform to advance their careers. Through league play, showcases, international partnerships, and player development initiatives, NBL-Africa is committed to becoming one of the premier basketball opportunity platforms on the continent.
The league will focus on player exposure, team development, media coverage, community engagement, sponsorship growth, and international basketball connectivity. NBL-Africa’s goal is to help African basketball talent gain more visibility while building a league structure that can positively impact athletes, families, cities, and the future of the game.
For More Information
For more information about NBL-Africa, upcoming league announcements, player opportunities, and the NBL-Africa Showcase in Durban, visit:
Africanbl.com
Media Contact:
NBL-Africa
Website: Africanbl.com