Nairobi City Thunder’s Dismas Osongo in action during a league game, part of the team’s dominant run to BAL qualification.
A year ago, Sandra Kimokoti sat in the BK Arena in Kigali, watching the Basketball Africa League (BAL) finals. As the co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Twende Sports, she and her fellow co-founders were in the stands, envisioning a future where their own team, Nairobi City Thunder, would compete on that very stage.
“We said to ourselves, ‘We’re going to be here,’” Kimokoti tells OkayAfrica.
Now, they are.
As the reigning champions of the Kenyan Basketball League after an undefeated season, Thunder is set to make history as the first Kenyan team to compete in the BAL, Africa’s premier basketball club competition. They debut this weekend during the Nile Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, running from May 17 to 25, 2025.
Twende Sports, which acquired Nairobi City Thunder in 2023, was founded on a bold idea: that a world-class sports franchise could be built and based in Nairobi. Initially, the co-founders — Colin Rasmussen, Sandra Kimokoti, Kooshin Diriye, and Stephen Domingo — thought the journey might take several seasons. But once they saw how much local talent there was and put the right support systems in place, the dream started to come together much faster than they expected.
“It just reinforced that the dream we had was actually possible,” Kimokoti says. “It felt exciting, validating, and motivating. The goal was always to build something world-class here, and now we get to show it.”
Nairobi City Thunder players huddle with their coach Bradley Ibs during a league game, part of the team’s dominant run to BAL qualification.
Photo by Nairobi City Thunder Media
BAL, launched in 2020 as a partnership between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), is now in its fifth season. It is the NBA's first professional league outside of North America. Designed to elevate elite club basketball across the continent, BAL features teams selected through a combination of direct qualification and a competitive “Road to BAL” tournament.
Since its launch, BAL has grown in both competitiveness and visibility, attracting international talent, global sponsors, and media partners. It also serves as a major platform for African players aspiring to careers in the NBA or top European leagues. For Kenya, now represented at BAL for the first time, qualifying shows how far the country has come and that it belongs on the regional stage.
“Anytime we have a new franchise and country in the league, it is growth,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. “I was in Nairobi for the Road-to-BAL qualifiers and witnessed Nairobi City Thunder play. It’s good to see the ownership decide to invest in basketball in Kenya.”
Thunder’s path to BAL was dominant. The team earned its spot after a strong performance in the East Division qualifiers, capped by a decisive 99–86 win over Cape Verde’s Kriol Star in the Elite 16 Finals at Nairobi’s Kasarani Indoor Arena last December. That victory not only secured their place in BAL, but also crowned them East Division champions.
And Nairobi fans are ecstatic! Since Twende’s takeover, Thunder has gone from under 2,000 social media followers to over 50,000 across platforms. Their games are now livestreamed, their merchandise sells, and their story is catching the attention of fans well beyond Nairobi and Kenya’s borders.
Nairobi City Thunder players strategize on court during a game
Photo by Nairobi City Thunder Media
With a draw in the Nile Conference, Thunder faces tough competition from Rwanda’s APR BBC, Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli, and South Africa’s Made by Basketball. But with a team that combines elite Kenyan talent and returning international pros, Kimokoti says that they are aiming to make a statement.
“We’re not just here to participate — we want to prove that a Kenyan team can compete and win at this level,” she says. “This is about showing what’s possible when you invest in the right people and structure.”
Under the leadership of head coach Bradley Ibs, Thunder has become known for its fast-paced playing style and bench depth. Veterans like Griffin Ligare and Albert Odero anchor the team alongside international standouts like Tylor Ongwae.
As Thunder prepares to represent Kenya on the continental stage, the players know they carry more than their own ambitions. A win in conference play in Kigali could send them to the BAL playoffs, which are scheduled to take place in Pretoria this June.
“For many of them, this is the biggest platform they’ve ever played on,” Kimokoti says. “They’re locked in. They know what this means.”
