The City of Durban Ties Into Professional Basketball as NBL-Africa Continues Historic Continental Expansion with Six-Team Men’s and Women’s Divisions

🏀 NBL-Africa Official Press Release

Contact Information: William Price | Commissioner, NBL-Africa 📧 wprice@africanbl.com | 📧 info@africanbl.com🌐 www.africanbl.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: June 6, 2026 Embargo: Until 12:00 PM (SAST) — June 6, 2026

DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL, SOUTH AFRICA — The National Basketball League – Africa (NBL-Africa) is proud to officially announce the addition of the Durban Knots as the league’s newest franchise, set to compete in the landmark 2027 NBL-Africa Season. This momentous announcement marks yet another defining chapter in NBL-Africa’s rapid continental expansion and stands as a powerful declaration that professional basketball in Africa is no longer a future dream — it is a present reality.

The Durban Knots will join a six-team structure across both a Men’s Division and a Women’s Division, representing the beautiful and culturally rich city of Durban — officially known as eThekwini — one of Africa’s most dynamic, diverse, and sports-passionate cities. As the third-largest city in South Africa and home to one of the busiest ports on the entire African continent, Durban has always been a city tied to movement, connection, and global commerce. Now, that same spirit of connection is being woven into the fabric of professional basketball with the arrival of the Durban Knots.

This franchise is more than a basketball team. It is a symbol of what is possible when a city, a league, and a mission align. For the youth of Durban and all of KwaZulu-Natal — players ages 16 and up who have long dreamed of a professional stage — the Durban Knots are that stage. NBL-Africa is proud to bring that opportunity to one of South Africa’s most beloved cities, and the entire organization looks forward to what the Knots will build in 2027 and beyond.

📅 2027 NBL-AFRICA SEASON AT A GLANCE

The 2027 NBL-Africa Season kicks off in May 2027, delivering a full elite professional basketball competition across the continent. The Durban Knots will compete in a structured, FIBA-governed league format designed to maximize player development, competitive depth, and championship-level intensity.

The 20-game regular season provides every franchise — including the Durban Knots — with ample opportunity to build chemistry, establish an identity, and grind toward a playoff position. With only four of the six teams in each division advancing to the postseason, every game carries playoff implications from opening night. There is no margin for complacency in NBL-Africa. Teams must be battle-tested, well-coached, and hungry from Game 1 through Game 20 to secure their spot in the championship bracket.

The July–September window is strategic and deliberate — it creates a professional league experience that aligns with international basketball calendars, allowing NBL-Africa players to gain exposure to scouts, recruiters, and organizations from around the world during one of the busiest evaluation periods in global basketball.

🏀 ABOUT THE DURBAN KNOTS

The Durban Knots are named with deep intentionality. A knot is a symbol of strength, unity, and connection — and there is no city in South Africa that embodies those qualities more powerfully than Durban. Known for its breathtaking Indian Ocean coastline, its rich Zulu cultural heritage, its vibrant Indian community, and its position as one of Africa’s greatest port cities, Durban is a city where cultures, histories, and peoples are tied together into something extraordinary.

The Knots franchise carries that symbolism proudly. This organization is built on the belief that basketball has the unique power to tie communities together — to connect generations, cultures, and backgrounds through the shared language of sport. In every practice, every game, and every community initiative, the Durban Knots will represent the unity and resilience of eThekwini and the broader KwaZulu-Natal province.

Competitively, the Knots enter NBL-Africa with a clear mandate: win, develop, and inspire. The organization is committed to assembling a roster of elite South African talent supplemented by players from across the continent and the world — a squad built to compete for a championship from day one while simultaneously serving as a professional development pipeline for the next generation of African basketball stars.

The Durban Knots franchise is structured around three foundational commitments:

• 🔵 Competitive Excellence — Building a roster and coaching staff dedicated to winning at the highest professional level within NBL-Africa and earning a playoff position in Year One.
• 🌊 Community & Cultural Roots — Honoring Durban’s rich multicultural identity through community programs, youth basketball clinics, school partnerships, and public engagement events that make the Knots a source of civic pride.
• 🚀 The Path Forward — Providing every eligible player — male and female, ages 16 and up — with a legitimate, structured, professionally supported pathway to college programs, international leagues, and professional careers around the world.

Durban has produced world-class athletes across multiple sports disciplines for decades. The Durban Knots are the vehicle that will ensure the city’s basketball talent receives the same professional platform that its athletes in other sports have long enjoyed.

NBL-Africa Commissioner William Price released the following official statement regarding the Durban Knots’ historic entry into the league:

“I want to say this clearly and I want to say it loudly — welcoming the Durban Knots into the NBL-Africa family is one of the most exciting moments this league has had since its founding. Durban is a city I have tremendous respect and admiration for. It is one of the most culturally rich, athletically gifted, and deeply passionate sports cities on the entire African continent. And for too long, professional basketball has not had a home there. Today, that changes.

When we set out to build NBL-Africa, the vision was always about more than just putting teams on the court. The vision was about infrastructure. About legitimacy. About creating something that a 16-year-old kid in Durban could look at and say, ‘That is where I am going. That is my path. That is my league.’ The Durban Knots are exactly that kind of franchise — a franchise built for the community, built for the players, and built to compete.

I have enormous expectations for this team. Not because I expect everything to be perfect in Year One — building a franchise is hard work and the teams in this league are competitive from top to bottom. But I expect the Durban Knots to come in with a level of hunger and preparation that reflects the city they represent. Durban does not do anything halfway. The culture there is too proud, too talented, and too driven for anything less than full commitment. I expect that same energy on the court every single night.

What excites me most is the talent that exists in KwaZulu-Natal and broader South Africa that simply has not had a professional outlet at this level. We are about to see players emerge through this franchise who will go on to play college basketball, international professional basketball, and who knows — maybe more. NBL-Africa is the only professional pathway of its kind in Africa for players ages 16 and up, and the Durban Knots are now a critical part of that mission.

To the players of Durban and KwaZulu-Natal — your league has arrived. Your team is here. Tryout details, coaching announcements, and everything else are coming very soon. Stay ready, because the NBL-Africa 2027 Season begins in May, and the Durban Knots intend to make Durban proud from the opening tip-off.

Durban, the Knots are tied in. Let’s go.”

— William Price, Commissioner, National Basketball League – Africa (NBL-Africa)

🌍 ABOUT NBL-AFRICA

The National Basketball League – Africa (NBL-Africa) is a premier professional basketball organization established to accelerate the growth, development, and global visibility of basketball talent throughout the African continent. Governed by FIBA international rules, NBL-Africa operates as one of the most player-centered, development-focused professional leagues in Africa, providing elite competition, real professional experience, and genuine pathways to advancement for athletes ages 16 and up.

NBL-Africa fields six (6) teams in both the Men’s and Women’s Divisions, representing a bold commitment to gender equity and equal opportunity in professional African basketball. The league believes without reservation that African basketball talent — male and female — is among the finest in the world, and NBL-Africa is the platform built to prove it.

🏆 Full League Benefits & Features:

✅ FIBA-Recognized Professional League — All competition governed by official FIBA international basketball rules, ensuring the highest standard of professional play ✅ 20-Game Regular Season — A full, professionally structured regular season delivering maximum competitive experience for every player and team ✅ May–August Season Schedule — A strategic summer window aligning with global basketball evaluation calendars and international recruitment seasons ✅ Top 4 Playoff Format — High-stakes postseason bracket with four qualifying teams per division competing for the NBL-Africa Championship title ✅ Six-Team Men’s Division — Competitive, balanced men’s professional play across six franchise organizations ✅ Six-Team Women’s Division — Equal professional competition and opportunity for female athletes at the highest level ✅ Age Eligibility: 16 and Up — The most accessible and youngest-eligible professional basketball pathway in Africa ✅ Full 16-Category Professional Statistics — Comprehensive individual and team statistical tracking recorded and maintained for every player across every game in the season ✅ Live Stream Games — Every NBL-Africa regular season and playoff game professionally live-streamed for a global audience of fans, scouts, coaches, and media ✅ Highlight Video After Every Game — Professional post-game highlight production created and distributed following every contest, showcasing player performances worldwide ✅ FIBA License Number Issued — Every registered NBL-Africa player receives an official FIBA license number, providing internationally recognized professional credentialing ✅ EuroBasket Profile — All players registered with an official EuroBasket profile, maximizing international visibility and recruitment reach across European leagues and organizations ✅ Path to College Program — A structured pipeline directly connecting NBL-Africa players with college basketball recruitment opportunities across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and beyond ✅ Path to Pros Program — A dedicated professional development track for athletes pursuing careers in professional basketball at the next level, domestically and internationally ✅ Professional Skills Training — Access to elite coaching, skills instruction, and player development resources available throughout the season ✅ Payment Plans Available — Flexible, accessible financial structures ensuring that cost is not a barrier for any eligible athlete who wants to compete in NBL-Africa ✅ International Opportunities — Player stats, highlight reels, and professional profiles distributed to international scouts, clubs, and organizations around the world

NBL-Africa is not simply a league. It is a movement. A pathway. An infrastructure built specifically to ensure that the next generation of African basketball’s brightest stars have a professional home, a development system, and a global stage from which to launch their careers.

📣 HEAD COACH, TRYOUTS & ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING SOON

The Durban Knots organization is actively working to finalize and announce a full series of operational details in the weeks and months ahead. The following key announcements are forthcoming and will be released through NBL-Africa’s official press channels and at www.africanbl.com:

🎽 Head Coach — Announcement Coming Soon

The Durban Knots franchise is conducting a thorough and deliberate search to identify the organization’s first-ever head coach. The ideal candidate will be a proven leader with a deep passion for player development, a winning culture mentality, and a genuine connection to the South African basketball community. This announcement will be made in the near future and will include a full biographical profile and statement from the incoming coaching staff.

📋 Open Tryout Dates & Registration — Details Coming Soon

Open tryouts for the Durban Knots — both Men’s and Women’s rosters — will be announced in an upcoming press release. Tryouts will be open to all eligible players ages 16 and up. Official details including tryout dates, times, locations within the Durban and KwaZulu-Natal area, registration requirements, and what to expect on tryout day will be communicated through all NBL-Africa official channels. Players are encouraged to follow www.africanbl.comand monitor official league communications to ensure they do not miss registration windows.

🏟️ Home Venue — Announcement Coming Soon

The Durban Knots’ official home court venue will be confirmed and publicly announced in a forthcoming release. NBL-Africa is committed to providing its franchises with professional-grade facilities that create an outstanding experience for players, coaches, and fans alike.

📑 Roster Signings & Player Announcements — Coming Soon

As the Durban Knots begin assembling their inaugural roster for the 2027 season, the organization will release rolling player signing announcements in the lead-up to the season. Both domestic South African signings and continental acquisitions will be featured as the Knots build their championship-caliber squad.

🤝 Sponsorship & Partnership Opportunities — Now Open

The Durban Knots and NBL-Africa are actively welcoming conversations with organizations, businesses, brands, and individuals interested in sponsorship and partnership opportunities. Aligning with the Durban Knots and NBL-Africa provides direct access to a passionate, growing basketball audience across South Africa, the continent, and a global streaming viewership. Interested parties are encouraged to reach out directly at info@africanbl.com or wprice@africanbl.com for a full sponsorship package and details.

📬 OFFICIAL MEDIA CONTACTS & MORE INFORMATION

All media inquiries, player tryout questions, sponsorship requests, coaching applications, fan correspondence, and general information requests should be directed through the following official NBL-Africa contact channels:

Members of the media seeking interviews with Commissioner William Price, Durban Knots organizational representatives, or NBL-Africa officials are asked to submit credential and interview requests to info@africanbl.com. All media inquiries will receive a response within 48 business hours. High-resolution logos, official photography, and press assets are available upon request.

This press release is issued by the National Basketball League – Africa (NBL-Africa) on behalf of the Durban Knots franchise and NBL-Africa league headquarters.

© 2026 National Basketball League – Africa | All Rights Reserved 🌐 www.africanbl.com | 📧 info@africanbl.com

NBL-Africa operates under FIBA international rules and is dedicated to the development and advancement of professional basketball across the African continent.

— NBL-Africa: Where Africa’s Game Meets the World —