The National Basketball Association’s inaugural chief executive officer for its African business is leaving, the latest in a series of departures by senior leaders.
Victor Williams, who joined the NBA in 2020 to oversee its expansion into Africa, will step down at the end of December, according to a statement from the league.
“Through Victor’s efforts, we have established a solid foundation for scaling our business in Africa going forward,” NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum said in response to Bloomberg questions.
Williams is leaving to “pursue other business interests,” according to the statement.
NBA Africa has offices in Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa, and plans to open a new one in Kenya this month.
Vice President of Business Development Anthony Garstang left in August for a sports marketing firm, according to his LinkedIn profile. Senior Vice President of Business Strategy George Land will retire in December after 31 years at the NBA in December, two people said, asking not to be identified as the information isn’t public.
A NBA spokesperson declined to comment.
Williams, a former investment banker at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Standard Bank Group Ltd., was hired to grow the NBA’s presence in Africa and set up the Africa Basketball League, its first professional league outside of the US.
He oversaw a 2021 deal for a stake in its African operations that valued NBA Africa at $1 billion. Private equity firm Helios Fairfax Partners Corp. and former NBA players such as Dikembe Mutombo, and Junior Bridgeman taking part in the deal. Former US President Barack Obama is also a minority owner.
(Updates with additional NBA Africa investors in ninth paragraph)
Author: Loni Prinsloo, Katarina Hoije and Jake Rudnitsky
