© Courtesy
© Courtesy

Two-time NBA champion joins star-studded GOA festival line up

Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 20.07.25. | 19:59

Central to the non-profit's mission is basketball's unique power to transcend barriers and unite diverse communities

Two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard has been added to Giants of Africa (GOA) Festival 2025’s all-star lineup. 

The L.A. Clippers forward will mentor youth campers, open a new basketball court in partnership with GOA at St. Ignatius School, and host a special clinic for 50 local youth at Club Rafiki in one of Kigali’s most underserved districts. 

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Returning to the vibrant city of Kigali, Rwanda from Saturday, 26 July to 2 August, the Festival will bring together 320 young athletes from 20 African nations, and more than 20,000 spectators for a week of community, culture, basketball, education, and entertainment. 

Since 2003, GOA has empowered youth through basketball, hosting camps and building courts across the continent. 

The foundation not only teaches game fundamentals, but connects young people with inspirational mentors who show how determination, leadership, and integrity can transform dreams into reality. 

Also central to their mission is basketball's unique power to transcend barriers and unite diverse communities.

The festival brings this vision to life with a week-long youth basketball camp and tournament, uniting young men and women from Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin, Gabon, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania, D.R. Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia, Morocco, Botswana, and South Africa.

This year's event follows the inaugural Festival which took place in Kigali in 2023 in celebration of the non-profit’s 20th anniversary.

The event united over 250 youth basketball players from 16 African nations, drew in over 14,000 spectators, and saw an estimated $1.5M invested into Kigali’s local economy. 

The festival culminated in a closing concert featuring performances from Afrobeats icon Davido, Queen of Afrobeats Tiwa Savage, Rwanda’s own Bruce Melodie, and South African superstar Tyla. 

It was a beacon of unity, inspiration, and transformation that ignited the continent. Building upon their bold ambitions, Masai Ujiri and Giants of Africa are poised to make an even more powerful statement in 2025. 


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Giants of AfricaKawhi LeonardLos Angeles Clippers

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