KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo — NBA Africa and water-solutions company Quest Water Global have announced a multi-year partnership to build or renovate 55 basketball courts across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by 2030, creating a lasting sporting legacy for one of the country’s greatest basketball figures, the late NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo.
The initiative will see the construction or renovation of both full-size basketball courts and 3-on-3 facilities in communities across the country. Organizers say the project is intended to expand access to basketball for young people while honoring Mutombo’s extraordinary journey from Kinshasa to the highest level of professional basketball.
Returning Basketball to Mutombo’s Roots
The first court under the initiative was unveiled at Cercle Onatra in Kinshasa, a location with particular significance in Mutombo’s life.
It was at Basketball Club Onatra that Mutombo began developing his basketball skills before leaving the Democratic Republic of Congo for the United States. From those beginnings, he went on to build a Hall of Fame career in the NBA and became one of the most recognizable African athletes in international sport.
The new court incorporates Mutombo’s iconic No. 55 jersey number at center court, turning the facility into both a community sporting venue and a permanent tribute to his legacy.
The court is expected to provide thousands of young people with access to basketball each year.
For a country with a population of more than 100 million people and a large youth population, the expansion of community sports infrastructure could provide opportunities well beyond competitive basketball. Courts can become gathering places for youth programs, coaching, physical education, community events and grassroots talent development.
From Kinshasa to Mbuji-Mayi
The partnership is also moving beyond the capital.
A second court is expected to open in Mbuji-Mayi, Mutombo’s hometown, in the coming weeks.
The expansion is significant because Mutombo’s story has long been connected to the idea that African athletes can develop world-class careers without losing their connection to the communities where their journeys began.
The planned network of 55 facilities could give young players in cities and communities outside Kinshasa greater access to organized basketball and create additional pathways into regional and international competitions.
Developing Coaches Alongside Courts
The initiative is also focused on people, not simply infrastructure.
NBA Africa marked the Kinshasa unveiling with a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA coaching clinic involving 80 local coaches.
Developing coaches is critical to creating sustainable grassroots sports programs. A basketball court can provide the physical space, but trained coaches provide the knowledge, structure and mentorship needed to turn that space into a functioning youth-development program.
The coaching component could therefore become one of the most important long-term elements of the initiative.
A Legacy Beyond Basketball
Mutombo’s legacy extended far beyond the NBA.
Throughout his life, he was deeply involved in humanitarian work in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His most prominent projects included efforts to expand healthcare access and improve conditions for communities in his homeland.
The new basketball-court initiative adds another dimension to that legacy: using sport as a vehicle for youth development and community investment.
The partnership between NBA Africa and Quest Water Global also brings together two areas with significant importance for African communities — sport and access to essential infrastructure.
Quest Water Global describes itself as a water-solutions company, while NBA Africa has increasingly focused on expanding basketball participation and infrastructure across the continent.
Why 55 Courts?
The number 55 carries particular significance.
Mutombo wore No. 55 during his NBA career, making the planned 55-court network a symbolic tribute as well as a major infrastructure commitment.
Rather than creating a single memorial facility, the initiative is designed to spread the legacy across communities throughout the DRC.
That approach could give Mutombo’s name meaning to a new generation of Congolese players who may never have seen him play professionally but can now learn his story through the courts being built in their communities.
Basketball’s Growing African Footprint
The project comes as basketball continues to expand across Africa.
The growth of the NBA’s presence on the continent, together with the development of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and grassroots programs such as Jr. NBA, has created a larger ecosystem for African basketball.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has considerable basketball talent, and its population gives the country one of the continent’s largest potential youth markets for the sport.
The challenge has often been access to facilities, organized coaching and sustainable grassroots programs.
The 55-court initiative directly addresses one of those infrastructure gaps.
Building a Lasting Legacy
For Mutombo’s home country, the project represents more than a tribute to an NBA legend.
It creates physical spaces where young Congolese can play, train and potentially discover their own path in basketball.
The first court at Cercle Onatra connects the project directly to the place where Mutombo’s basketball journey began. The planned court in Mbuji-Mayi brings the initiative back to his hometown.
By 2030, if the full program is completed, dozens of communities across the DRC could have new or renovated basketball facilities carrying the legacy of a player who became one of the most successful athletes ever to emerge from Africa.
Mutombo’s career took him from a basketball court in Kinshasa to the NBA Hall of Fame. The 55-court initiative seeks to ensure that his story continues to inspire the next generation — not only through memories of his achievements, but through the courts where young Congolese athletes will begin their own journeys.
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