NBA Nigeria Hosts Third Edition of “NBA Meets Art” at Art X Lagos

NBA Nigeria (www.NBA.com) is hosting the third annual "NBA Meets Art," an art installation that celebrates basketball through the lens of Nigerian art and culture at West Africa’s premier art fair, Art X Lagos. The event is taking place at The Federal Palace in Lagos, Nigeria, and runs until Sunday, Nov. 3.

This year’s "NBA Meets Art" installation, titled "Breaking Barriers," features work by Nigerian pop artist and illustrator Williams Chechet. The exhibit explores how basketball shapes identities, inspires hope, and encourages the next generation to dream beyond current limitations. Chechet’s art incorporates the energy of the game alongside cultural symbols and activism, representing endless possibilities. The central element of the piece portrays various hands reaching together for a basketball, symbolizing collaboration.

"Breaking Barriers" uses the physical and metaphorical aspects of basketball—such as teamwork, movement, strategy, and goal-setting—as a powerful analogy for the continuous pursuit of change. Enhanced with augmented reality, visitors can scan a QR code to animate the artwork on their phones, which they can record and share on social media. Attendees can also participate in creating an art collage by cutting colorful magazine and newspaper images at the installation.

"NBA Meets Art continues to be an incredible platform merging basketball with African culture," said Gbemisola Abudu, Vice President and Head of NBA Nigeria. "For this third edition, we’re thrilled to showcase the work of Williams Chechet, an artist from Northern Nigeria whose inspiration comes from playing basketball in Zaria. This event celebrates the role of basketball in building connections, redefining limits, and inspiring African youth to dream big. We look forward to welcoming basketball and art enthusiasts at Art X this weekend."

Last year, "NBA Meets Art" highlighted Dennis Osadebe’s installation "Passing / Building / Victory" at Art X Lagos, focusing on teamwork in sports and its parallels with community development, aligning with the NBA’s mission to connect and inspire through basketball. Launched in November 2022, the initiative began with an event that brought together leaders from fashion, music, art, business, and sports, celebrating Nigerian culture through music, fashion, and a photography display.