NBA Africa valued at US$1B with Watsa, Mutombo backing
Loni Prinsloo, Bloomberg News
NBA
The National Basketball Association Inc. is expanding in Africa through a deal that values its operations on the continent at US$1 billion.
Private equity firm Helios Fairfax Partners Corp. invested in the new African entity alongside Tunde Folawiyo, chairman of Yinka Folawiyo Group, the NBA said in a statement on Monday. Former NBA players Dikembe Mutombo, Junior Bridgeman, Luol Deng, Grant Hill and Joakim Noah also invested. Altogether, the investors have acquired an eight per cent stake, a person familiar with the deal said, asking not to be identified because the details are private.