Roberts obtains Residency in Guiné-Bissau and aids Guinean Basketball Federation
Aug 31st, 2024
The Basketball Federation of Guiné-Bissau announced in June of 2023 that American Guard Joshua Roberts would be helping the development of basketball in the country and to add strength to their national team roster. Roberts obtained residency in Guiné-Bissau through the auspices of the Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSIA) during a return trip from Cabo Verde after competing in the National League for B.C Predio.
Roberts, who has also played professionally in Portugal and Armenia has built a reputation as an elite shooter and versatile scorer. Earning Eurobasket.com All-Armenia Team during the 2021-22 season after averaging 19.1ppg and 6rpg.
Roberts, who is of Guinean descent through his mother, represents a historic diaspora that shares a distinct ancestry with Guinea-Bissau. Their family name, Titna, has Balanta origins in the Cacheu region and have given back to the country historically.
While this is rare amongst the general public of African-Americans communities this is more commonplace in the basketball community in Africa. Most counties naturalize Americans to represent their national team such as Rwanda and Cameroon. It just so happens that these Americans are of African descent. Most notably former NBA player Carlik Jones who recently represented South Sudan in this year's Olympics. While it is unknown if some of these athletes have any ancestry to these nations, Roberts is a direct descendant of Guiné-Bissau which makes this more intimate.
Guiné-Bissau hasn’t competed at the senior level since 2014 in the Lusophony Games and 2011 AfroBasket Qualifiers in Madagascar, Antananarivo. The Federation is looking to revitalize the basketball program and reenter international basketball competitions with a new revitalized roster from local talent and diaspora talent like Roberts.
In February of 2024 Roberts attended the NBA Africa Luncheon in Indianapolis, Indiana during the NBA All-Star Weekend in the USA as an ambassador for the program. This luncheon brought together leaders from the business, entertainment, philanthropy, technology, and youth development to discuss processes and areas of opportunity in Africa.
At this meeting Guine-Bissau had the opportunity to interact with a number of prominent personalities such as; Miranda Maenzanise, management of NBA Africa and Amadou Gallo Fall (BAL President). This meeting provided an opportunity to improve the overall basketball landscape in Guinea Bissau.
Balanta B'urassa History and Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSIA) Members Joshua Roberts and Walid Artest with Adam Silver, Commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA)
ABOUT BHAGGSIA
The Balanta B’urassa History and Genealogy Society in America (BBHAGSA) was founded by Siphiwe Baleka in 2019 to promote Balanta culture, history, education, language training, genealogy research and other services to descendants of Balanta people who were trafficked from their ancestral homelands in Guinea Bissau and enslaved in the Americas. BBHAGSIA also established the Decade of Return Initiative that provides ancestral return tours and citizenship opportunities under the Right of Return. BBHGASIA provides a wide variety of services, including Consular and visa services, to help Balanta people in America reconnect with their ancestral homeland. On June 20, 2023, BBHAGSIA and the Decade of Return organized Joshua Roberts’ first press conference upon arrival at Osvaldo Airport.
