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BAL 2026 IS SET: JO'BURG GIANTS AND NAIROBI CITY THUNDER BOTH QUALIFY NOW TODAY

Johannesburg Giants and Nairobi City Thunder have qualified for the 2026 Basketball Africa League. The Giants upset Dar City, while the Thunder dominated Ferroviario da Beira in the Elite 16.

BAL 2026 IS SET: Jo'burg Giants And Nairobi City Thunder Both Qualify Now Today
Nairobi City Thunder crowned 2026 East Division Elite 16 champions

Johannesburg Giants and Nairobi City Thunder are headed to the 2026 Basketball Africa League season following victories Saturday against Dar City and Ferroviario da Beira.

The South African champs scored an unexpected victory, defeating Dar City 71-69 in the Division East Elite 16 tournament semifinals, thereby qualifying for next year’s BAL season.

Nino Dim shone for the Giants, leading the team with 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He additionally nailed two important 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Dhieu Deing (16 points) and Joshua Ozabor (14 points and 10 rebounds) also helped out, scoring in double digits for the Giants.

Pieter Prinsloo and Sandile Sibanyoni were forces on the boards, grabbing 14 and 10 rebounds. Johannesburg won the rebound battle 51–43.

“I am delighted that we made it to BAL. We played a great game with players that we admire, and even though no one thought we could win, we believed in ourselves.

“We had a rough start, but we got some key defensive stops after switching to a 2-3 zone. “We shut down their outside shooters, and our plan worked,” said Johannesburg Giants’ head coach Florsheim Ngwenya.

In the interim, Nairobi City Thunder, playing at home, cruised to a 109–70 win over Mozambique’s Ferroviario da Beira, earning their return to the BAL for a second straight season.

Shooting guard Albert Odero was the star for the two-time Kenyan champs, scoring 32 points, with 26 coming in the first half.

The Thunder caught fire from outside and led by 20 points at halftime (52–32). Beira couldn't recover due to poor transition defence.

“When we began this Elite 16, we wanted to make up for our performance in last year’s BAL. Our goal was to get back and play better.

“We’re glad to achieve this milestone, but this is just the start for us. We’ve worked hard since last June, through the league and the last five weeks in camp. It feels good to be here,” said Nairobi City Thunder head coach Bradley Ibs.

On Sunday, Nairobi City faced Johannesburg Giants in the tournament finals, with Nairobi City winning 94-84.

KNICKS TRADE SHOCK COMING: INSIDER REVEALS THE ONE MAJOR MOVE HAPPENING FAST

After a loss to the Magic, the 9-6 Knicks are 5th in the East. With a new coach and trade assets, ESPN suggests a Mitchell Robinson deal could help them avoid the punitive second apron.

top-news
NBA Insider Confirms One Big Trade Move Is Coming To The Knicks

After a 133-121 loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, the New York Knicks now stand at 9-6, which is still good enough for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks are switching things up as Mike Brown takes over from Tom Thibodeau, bringing fresh strategies.

Jalen Brunson's injury didn't help things, but the Knicks are still expected to be a top team in the East and a possible pick for the NBA Finals at season's end.

They have six key guys, but the other players are still trying to prove they belong in the playoff lineup.

The Knicks have already spent a lot to get good players, so they probably can't get another star. Still, they could make small improvements to their team.

In other news, Draymond Green of the Warriors had some strong words for the Knicks.

If the Knicks really want to make a big move, they'd have to trade one of their main players. ESPN's Bobby Marks says Mitchell Robinson could be the one.

Marks said that Robinson's expiring $12.9 million contract, plus the chance to trade first-round picks in 2026, 2030, and 2032, along with eight second-round picks, are the Knicks' best assets for a trade.

Trading Robinson for someone with a similar salary that extends to 2026-27 could allow the Knicks to avoid being a second apron team as their roster fills out.

Marks suggests trading Pacome Dadiet and cash (the Knicks have $7.9 million available) to give them enough space to sign two players while staying below the second apron.

Robinson brings a different style to the Knicks. He does the tough stuff that Karl-Anthony Towns doesn't, like protecting the basket, grabbing rebounds, and being a threat for alley-oops.

Losing Robinson would weaken their big man lineup, but if they can find a trade that makes the team better overall, it might be worth it.

The Knicks will likely keep their main players unless they think Robinson might leave when he becomes a free agent. They might go after smaller deals to improve the team.

CHRIS PAUL IS RETIRING AFTER THE 2025-26 NBA SEASON CONFIRMED NEWS

NBA legend Chris Paul announces his retirement after a historic 21-season career. The 12-time All-Star ranks 2nd all-time in assists and steals, closing his career with the Golden State Warriors.

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Point God To Retire After Last NBA Season Clash

Chris Paul, a guard who has been selected as an All-Star twelve times, announced on Saturday that this will be his last season in the NBA.

While visiting his home state of North Carolina for a game against the Hornets with the Los Angeles Clippers, Paul shared a concise message on X, along with a 75-second video showcasing highlights from his career, starting from the moment he was chosen fourth overall in the 2005 NBA Draft.

"Back in NC!!! What a ride…," he wrote. "There’s still so much left. . . GRATEFUL for this last one!!

At 40 years old, Paul is now in his 21st season in the NBA. He stands second in league history for assists, amassing 12,532, and is also second in steals with 2,727, ranking just behind Hall of Famer John Stockton in both statistics. Only 15 players have participated in more games than Paul, who has appeared in 1,364 contests.

Having started his career with New Orleans, Paul earned the Rookie of the Year accolade in 2006. He has been a four-time selection to the All-NBA first team, a five-time leader in assists, a six-time steals leader, and a member of seven all-defensive first teams and was named the MVP of the All-Star Game in 2013. Additionally, he was honoured in 2021 as part of the NBA's 75th anniversary team and secured Olympic gold medals with Team USA in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012.

Paul spent six seasons with New Orleans before being traded to the Clippers in 2011. He later had stints with the Houston Rockets from 2017 to 2019, the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2019-20 season, and the Phoenix Suns from 2020 to 2023 and is currently with the Golden State Warriors for the 2023-24 season.

Last year, he experienced a revival while with the San Antonio Spurs, where he took on a mentoring role for a young team, managing to play all 82 games for the first time since the 2014-15 season, averaging 8.8 points and 7.4 assists over 28 minutes per game.

In July, he returned to the Clippers but has taken on a more limited role, participating in just 10 games and averaging 2.5 points alongside 3.3 assists per game.

Throughout his career, Paul has maintained averages of 16.9 points, 9.2 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.0 steals.

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