Sports
The documentary Basketball Africa League, another project of director Akin Omotoso

PRETORIA, South Africa – There was a brief scene within the 2022 Disney film where a young Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked to pay a pc fee to make use of the Internet on the Amadou Café in Athens, Greece. director Akin Omotoso told Basketball Africa League president Amadou Gallo Fall on March 8 that a fictional cafe was named in his honor in a movie made concerning the Milwaukee Bucks star and two of his brothers.
“Amadou, the Amadou café where Giannis used to go, I named it after you,” Omotoso told Fall at a lavish party ahead of the beginning of the BAL 2024 season in Johannesburg.
“Really? Was that for me?” – Autumn asked.
Fall will play a rather more essential role within the upcoming documentary. Omotoso is co-executive producer and appears back at BAL’s history, its first season and the complex basketball relationship between Africa and America. BAL was founded in 2019 by the NBA and FIBA and started its fourth season on March 9 with 12 qualified clubs from across Africa. BAL plays matches in Pretoria; Dakar, Senegal; Cairo; and Kigali, Rwanda this season.
The inaugural BAL season in 2020 was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. It ultimately debuted in a personal bubble format in 2021 in Kigali, with rapper J. Cole headlining the attendees. J. Cole; former President Barack Obama, strategic partner of the NBA in Africa; Golden State Warriors defend Stephen Curry; Joakim Noah, BAL investor and two-time NBA All-Star; Indiana Pacers center Pascal Siakam of Cameroon; NBA commissioner Adam Silver; and Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri of Nigeria, who also serves as co-executive producer, are amongst those interviewed within the documentary.
“When coordinating our stories, you have to capture the beginning because this will soon be a successful league,” SunBet Arena’s Omotoso said during Sunday’s BAL game. “You should record this. Taking part in a documentary is de facto crucial for me. This document was quite a bit of fun to create. It’ll be out soon. We do not have a release date yet.
“It’s a wonderful documentary about this league, the way it began during Covid-19 and the way it got here together. And also taking a look at the overall outline of basketball on this continent, the journey of Amadou and his team and the beginning of the primary season this season.
Similar to Omotoso
Omotoso, a Nigerian, can also be an actor and is best known for steering (2011), (2015) and (2016). He said he was terrible at football when he was younger and was inspired to take up basketball after watching a VHS movie in 1989. Omotoso began following African-American NBA players similar to Hakeem Olajuwon, Manute Bol and Dikembe Mutombo.
“Growing up here, I always thought there was a lot of talent in Africa,” Omotoso said. “But there’s plenty of talent around the globe. When we got there, we watched the games from 12:00 to three:00 within the morning. Or we might activate our VHS to record games because of the time difference.
When his family emigrated to South Africa as a youngster, he attended the University of Cape Town to check rhetoric and theater, and in addition played college basketball. The basketball enthusiast wrote a column titled on the web site Africa is a rustic in 2015. He interviewed Fall and Antetokounmpo. In 2015, Omotoso also flew from Johannesburg to New York to attend NBA All-Star Weekend.
In April 2019, while reading, Omotoso got here across an article about Antetokounmpo’s difficult path to NBA stardom, written by a Nigerian family in a racially challenged Greek environment. The article mentioned plans to make a movie about Antetokounmpo to be broadcast on Disney+. Omotoso immediately told his agent that he desired to direct Antetokounmpo’s film. He also kept it next to his bed as motivation.
“I told my agent, ‘Whatever you do, you have to get me in that room because I’ve dreamed of making a movie like this,’” Omotoso said. “His story was just amazing to me. I’ve been thinking about this for so long.”
In the summer of 2020, Omotoso interviewed Walt Disney Co. executives. He said he “presented from the heart” his vision, his experience in production, his connection to his Nigerian roots and his love of basketball.
“You basically come in to tell them why it has to be you,” Omotoso said. “I told them, ‘I like this game. Here’s my story. I moved from Nigeria. I understand the similarities, being in a unique country, what which means. “
After seven weeks of deliberations, Disney chosen Omotoso as director on September 18, 2020. Coincidentally, Antetokounmpo won his second NBA MVP award that day.
Omotoso recalls how Antetokounmpo, his brother Thanasis and their mother Veronica got here to the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California on February 7, 2022 during a Bucks road trip to observe an early cut of the film. Antetokounmpo’s two youngest brothers, Kostas and Alex, watched it concurrently via streaming because they were each playing professionally overseas on the time. Omotoso said Antetokounmpo’s family viewing was private. He believed he had convinced them.
“It was a beautiful day,” Omotoso said. “They got here to the parking zone and watched the movie. It was just amazing because they were crying – Giannis, Thanasis and their mother. It was beautiful. This was the moment.
“It was such a beautiful process. I really liked this story. You’re always nervous. But we had such a community behind this film that I was excited to show it to them.”

Similar to Omotoso
The next day, Omotoso sat courtside at an NBA game for the primary time with Walt Disney Pictures president Sean Bailey to observe the Bucks defeat the host Los Angeles Lakers 131-116. Looking back, Antetokounmpo said working with a fellow Nigerian gave him the comfort of filming for his protective family.
“(He) was a great guy, man,” said Antetokounmpo, who signed Omotoso’s cover. “And he told me that he all the time desired to make a movie about me and his dream had come true. He had this newspaper after I was drafted on the thirteenth… This guy had been dreaming of making a movie about me ever since I used to be drafted from Greece. It’s an incredible story.
“I want to make a movie about him.” And 10 years later his dream comes true. It was crazy.”
Omotoso said attending the primary BAL matches in South Africa on March 9 was a “special moment.” He said that Africans are going through a renaissance in sports, music and film.
“It’s about BAL, knowing Amadou and what his vision was, the idea was to create a league here with the best African basketball players,” Omotoso said. “You cannot say there was no path. I met Amadou when he was first establishing the office, and I remember him talking about his vision.
“The stories of African players on the continent have the opportunity (to show that BAL) is a long (vibrant) league that continues to innovate and do great things in its early years. So working on the documentary as an executive producer was important to me because it captured the beginning.”
Sports
Baseball celebrates Jack’s Heritage Robinson on the 78th anniversary of the Breaking Color barrier

Jackie Robinson He was the first to interrupt the colourful baseball barrier from Brooklyn Dodgers 78 years ago on Tuesday. His heritage still inspires people in the essential leagues – and out of doors.
Players and employees of Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Debutant Roki Sasaki, and Colorado Rockies surrounded the statue of Robinson in the Centerfield Plaza Plaza just a few hours before the match in Los Angeles on Jackie Robinson around the essential leagues.
They were joined by Basketball Hall of Fame, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who turns 78 on Wednesday. He remembered how he worn a baseball cap in Brooklyn, growing up in the neighboring Manhattan district.
“I fought with people of giants, Yankee, quite often,” he said, “but I was holding a hat and no one was able to reject it. I was so tall.”
Abdul-Jabbar followed in the footsteps of Robinson as a sports star in Ucla, known at the time as Lew Alcindor, where he won the three national championships at the coach of Hall of Fame, John Wooden.
Robinson was still an inspiration for Abdul-Jabbar.
“He meant perfection, giving his best, giving his best,” said Abdul-Jabbar, “And for all critics who are there, simply ignore and continue them.”
Each team playing on Monday wore T -shirts No. 42. This is the only number widely withdrawn in the essential directions.
“It’s not just a one-time day,” said Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager. “We understand what this man has done for our world, our country. You strive to live. This is something for me, maintaining his heritage.”
Roberts and Ron Washington from Los Angeles Angels are currently only black managers.
“One of the things that Jackie apparently nailed is to realize that life will be difficult,” said Roberts. “He was unique and was put in this certain position to rise above and know that it is not just about the baseball game. He is bigger than him.”
Sonya Pankey Robinson, the eldest grandson of Jackie and Rachel Robinson and the only child of Jackie Jr., who was killed in a automobile accident in 1971 at the age of 24, joined the Dodgers and Rocks. Grandson Ayo Robinson, whose father is David Robinson, was also at hand.
“He was so progressive in so many ways,” said Pankey Robinson about her grandfather. “When I think about him tenderly, I just think about all his contribution to society and us as a family. I feel true responsibility for maintaining his value and I am very seriously approaching this work.”
The 102-year-old widow of Robinson meant an anniversary at the Jackie Robinson Museum in Brooklyn with the commissioner of Rob Manfred.
“Looks great and welcomes everyone,” said Pankey Robinson. “She not only instilled in values that, as my grandfather knows, expects us to maintain, but she had her own values and her own expectations about us early to set goals in life”
Pankey Robinson lives near his grandmother in New York, saying: “We keep him close and tight.”

Robinson was in the news Last month, when the defense department’s side describing his military service was restored after she was missing briefly. The department removes content, emphasizing the contribution of women and minority groups under the Directive for the administration of President Donald Trump with a view to remove materials promoting diversity, justice and inclusion.
“The repulsive but not discouraged, because I think that what he did is engraved in history and this is not the place where it removed it,” said Pankey Robinson after the ceremony. “His influence is large and we feel good, knowing that although disappointed, what he did was important.”
Angels Washington learned about Robinson when he bought a book about him during the bus stop in Waterloo, Iowa during a small journey in the league in 1972.
“It influenced me enormously to find out what he had to go to play with a baseball game,” said Washington. “And then you look back and say:” Wow, during this era could I do it? ” I want to think I can, but I don’t know if I could. “
Aaron Boone, a New York York manager, called Robinson “one of the most important figures in the history of America.”
“Of course, he was part of the integration of our sport, but part of the further integration of America and other sports. It’s so cool that we can do today, and everyone wears 42, paying attention to it and simply honor the amazing heritage.”
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Sports
Kyren Lacy, NFL Hopefful and former football star of LSU, dead with apparent suicide

Ex Louisiana State University (LSU) Footballer, Kyren Lacy, was discovered dead on April 12 about apparent suicide, in response to local cops in Houston.
According to ESPN, the 24-year-old wide receiver was avoidance Policemen after a member of the family called and said that he had just fired a weapon. The authorities of Harris said that policemen were chasing him and Lacy smashed his vehicle. When they approached the extraction of it from the automobile, they found that he died because of something that gave the impression to be a self -proclaimed gunshot wound. Rescuers announced him dead on the scene.
LSU published a press release regarding the death of the player.
“We are saddened when we learn about the tragic departure of a former Football-Football-Spatlete Kyren Lacy student,” said LSU in a written statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as his former teammates and coaches whom his death affected.”
The Football Football family mourns the loss of Kyren Lacy pic.twitter.com/me2gbz6ao8
– LSU football (@LSUFOOTBALL) April 13, 2025
Lacy was accused of responsibility for the death of a 78-year-old man, when he allegedly caused the disaster on December 17, 2024. The incident took place in Louisiana, and the authorities claim that Lacy had escaped from the scene, without giving a person or calling cops. He closed himself to cops on January 12 and was accused of neglecting the murder, crime and running and reckless operation of the vehicle. He was released in the quantity of $ 151,000, in accordance with police acts.
The great jury was to start out on April 14.
“We deeply confirm the tragic departure of Kyren Lacy. First of all, we ask that society and media give his family space and time needed to sadden this unimaginable loss in the room,” said Lacy’s lawyer, Matthew Ory.
informed that together with a press release for the Society Ory apparently placed Part of the fault for prosecutors for the implementation of the case wherein he was convinced that Lacy can be released and wouldn’t be accused after the evidence was provided.
“From the very beginning, the so-called investigation has taken on the appearance of an overzealous, targeted effort-what can only be described as a witch hunting-grayed on who Kyren was and the public profile he wore.”
“Kyren was a young man with an enormous promise and was crushed under the load of the irresponsible and prejudiced trial. A negative dam in social media, his Mugshot’s circulation by almost every rest, not a typical photo, a recent civil law lawyer, he lodged against them, who called one other defendant who was not accused of the crime, but the final tone The photo before she was not a probability that was rigorously defended, which was once.
According to ESPN, on December 19, two days after a tragic accident, Lacy declared for the NFL project. Once expected as a 6 -person potential ESPN receiver in December, after this incident, in a recent projection, last month he fell out of the highest ten.
Lacy played three seasons in LSU and had his best season last yr. He caught 58 passes on 866 yards and led a team with nine application.
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Sports
Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame to honor three legendary journalists in the inaugural event

History and heritage will probably be fully exhibited, because three legendary black athletes will probably be honored on April 12 in the inaugural class of Black Sportswriters Hall of Fame in North Carolina A & t.
The inaugural induction ceremony of the Black Sportswriters gallery will happen at Deese Ballroom on Saturday at 18:00, and tickets might be purchased online. Rob Parker, the first black sports columnist in The, developed an idea after conducting a master baseball class in North Carolina A&T in the spring of 2023.
“We have so many great current and former black sports athletes, and I have been working for 39 years and I know many of them, I work with many of them, and we have not received recognition for what we bring to the company,” said Parker. “I wanted to make sure that everyone is appreciated and people who are perfectly recognized.”
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
William C. Rhoden, sports columnist for ESPN and Scape and former columnist; Michael Wilbon, co -hosting ESPN’s interruption and former columnist; A Claire Smith, the first woman who included Major League Baseball for Hartford Count, will probably be three inductes recognized on Saturday.
Thirty -two voters could nominate everyone, and every recipient needed a minimum of 75% of votes to win.
“If you told me before starting to vote, I could choose these three – the first three people who should come in – all three (that) they did it because Bill Rhoden, Claire Smith and Mike Wilbon are the three best who ever did it, so it’s amazing that they enter as the first induction class,” said Parker.

Michael Stewart/Wireimage
The event will happen at North Carolina A&T, because Parker was moved by students and their fascination with the sports journalism industry.
“The reason I chose North Karolina A&T was a few years ago, I made a master baseball class and I was very impressed with students and their questions and their concentration on MasterClass and the program of journalism as a whole,” said Parker. “I thought it would be a great place to present journalism in North Carolina A&T.”
Rhoden revealed his enthusiasm to the award.
“I am honored that I am included in the company of those as great as Claire Smith – which I have known for years – and Michael Wilbon – whom I have known for years – and the fact that this is the inaugural effort of sport, Rob Parker, whom I have known for years. This is simply a wonderful and unique honor,” said Rhoden.
Rhoden is the only recipient with a historically black college and university (HBCU).
“This means that Morgan (Stan) was great for me,” said Rhoden. “It was for me and the place where I was supposed to go. We all choose different paths to achieve our goals, but Morgan was an ideal place for me and my temperament and I met a person who started a journalistic career.”
When Parker sent a notification and voting for Black Sportswriters Gall of Fame, Smith felt humiliated when she realized that so many her peers, mentors and heroes took her into the conversation of the best sports journalistic company.
“When he informed me about the result of voting, I really returned to me, because, as I said, there were countless people at the vote, and even more people I met for 47 years, I think Hall of Famers,” said Smith. “And voting with this honor by my peers – I think my peers are Hall of Famers and voted for the inaugural occupation – they blew me up.”
For Rhoden, mentors like Lacy himself, the sports editor of the African American newspaper, and even Smith influenced his profession and helped to shape him in the sport she is today.
“There are many unknown heroes, such as Lacy himself, whom many people never know, but they really influence you,” said Rhoden. “There are so many people along the way. It is very important that people in your corner who will inform you that you are on the right track.”
Smith recognized Lacy and Larry Whiteside, a well -known baseball author that helped her achieve a distinction in her profession.
“Larry was always with me when I met him,” said Smith. “Larry or, as we called him on the sides,” he was simply someone I could watch and observe how he works on his craft and turned out to be an absolute art when it comes to writing, after which at all times have time to talk to the next generation. “

AP Photo/Rich Schultz
“Original six” pioneering athletes and editors – including Lacy, Whiteside, Wendell Smith, Bryan Burwell, Thom Greer and Ralph Wiley – will probably be posthumously honored in Hall of Fame.
“We want them to be honored as a group and we want the first six we put together,” said Parker. “We want to make sure that we remember the past, but we also want to celebrate people when they live when they can touch students at school, so this is the main goal of this.”
Smith said: “To mention this in the same sentence as Lacy and Wendell Smith is amazing. I remember how a baby seeing the newspaper delivered to the home of my grandparents in Catonsville, Maryland, after which I spotted that there are two differing kinds of newspapers in cities akin to Baltimore: historically black newspapers, after which most traditional newspapers.
“So quickly until 2025 and you see their names already in Hall of Fame and you know that in just a few days Bill and Mike and I, our names will be mentioned next to them – it’s just … humiliating.”
Parker hopes to extend Hall of Fame to the ceremony, special and championship events, in order that students can mix them with mentors.
“I hope that there will be several (events) … More things for students who will be able to learn from the best,” said Parker. “Combining students with mentors is the goal of Galeria Sława Black Sportswriters.”
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