By Kevin Rademeyer, Sports Journalist.
South African basketball is about to step into the spotlight, and the newest force in African basketball is preparing to defend its home court.
The Johannesburg Giants will headline the 2026 Kalahari Conference when the Basketball Africa League returns to South Africa from 27 March to 5 April at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria.
For the Giants, the moment represents far more than another tournament. It is an opportunity to announce themselves as a new powerhouse in African basketball while flying the South African flag on home soil.
Formed only in 2025, the Giants have wasted little time establishing their reputation. Within months of their creation, they lifted the South African National Club Championship, immediately signalling their ambition. Now they step onto the continental stage.
South Africa has previously been represented in the BAL by the Cape Town Tigers and Made By Ball Basketball Club, but the Giants arrive determined to create their own legacy.
Head coach Florsheim Ngwenya has made the team’s mission clear. The Giants are not just building a squad. They are building a movement aimed at showcasing South African basketball to the rest of the continent.
The journey to this year’s competition has already delivered drama. During the Road to BAL qualifiers organised by FIBA, the Giants looked anything but a new team.
They swept through the South African playoffs with a perfect 5 0 record before travelling to Lusaka where they remained unbeaten in another five games during the Group E stage.
A commanding 92 to 71 victory over the Namuwongo Blazers set the tone, although hosts Nairobi City Thunder handed the Giants their first defeat in a tense contest. But when qualification was on the line, the Johannesburg side delivered.
In a dramatic semi final, the Giants stunned the star studded Dar City 71 to 69. Rising star Nino Dim led the scoring with 21 points, while Nkosinathi Sibanyoni produced a heroic late block that sealed victory and secured their place in the BAL.
The Giants squad blends experience with exciting young talent. Veteran power forward Pieter Prinsloo brings valuable BAL experience after previous campaigns with the Cape Town Tigers and Made By Ball Basketball Club. The towering forward is known for his ability to stretch the floor and deliver crucial three point shots in pressure moments.
Sibanyoni has developed a reputation as one of the most relentless rebounders in South African basketball, regularly battling bigger opponents in the paint.
Meanwhile, the explosive Dim is emerging as one of the country’s brightest prospects thanks to his fearless scoring and attacking drives. Adding even more size to the roster is newly signed centre David Craig, a towering 7 foot 3 presence expected to dominate rebounds and protect the rim. More signings are expected before the opening tip off.
Coach Ngwenya is no stranger to big stages. The former national team coach has guided South Africa at AfroBasket tournaments and previously led the Cape Town Tigers on their historic run to the 2024 BAL semi finals. Now he has another ambitious project on his hands. According to Ngwenya, the Giants are determined to prove that South African basketball talent can compete with the best on the continent.
The 2026 Kalahari Conference promises high intensity matchups throughout the tournament, with several of Africa’s top clubs descending on Pretoria.
For the Giants, the action begins on opening night when they face Dar City in a rematch loaded with unfinished business. With the crowd behind them and continental recognition within reach, the Johannesburg Giants have a chance to turn their remarkable rise into something even bigger.
Pretoria is ready. African basketball is watching. And South Africa’s newest basketball force is preparing to make a statement.