Road to BAL: Majok ‘excited’ to wear the Thunder jersey

Ater James Majok, the 2022 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Defensive Player of the Year is already in Nairobi, putting in the work alongside his teammates at Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) as they prepare for the Elite 16.

NCT will be making their debut in the last phase of qualification for the Africa men’s premier club competition, having qualified as the second-best team from the East Division Group D qualifiers held in Kibaha, Tanzania last month.

The 6ft 11 player with Australian and Lebanese passports but of South Sudanese descent says he already knew that he would be playing for an East African team for the 2025 Road to BAL.

Abdoulaye Harouna on his motivation for joining Nairobi City Thunder and BAL chances

“This has been two years in the making. This was going to be a special year as I knew I would be playing in East Africa and I feel that this is the best team I could represent because of its proximity to home. I am happy to come and help them do something special,” Majok told the team’s media upon landing in the country a few days ago on his maiden trip to Kenya.

The BAL champion with AS Monastir, a side he has represented at the continental competition thrice, once featuring for Petro de Luanda (2023) says he is bringing this wealth of experience to an already good side as he looks to help the side write history for Kenya.

“I bring veteran experience, leadership, and playing hard no matter what. I have a no-give-up policy regardless of the outcome and that is what I bring to the table. It is going to be exciting. I am very excited to wear the Thunder jersey,” he concluded.

He joined just days after Nigerien shooting guard Abdoulaye Harouna, who has also played in the last four BAL competitions. The duo is expected to propel Bradley Ibs-coached national champions to the fifth edition of BAL, making them the first Kenyan side to achieve the said feat.