The DR Congo national basketball team (French: ÃÂquipe nationale de basketball de Congo DR) represents DR Congo in men's international basketball competitions, it is controlled by the Basketball Federation of Democratic Republic of Congo. ()
The team has appeared in the FIBA Africa Championship, but has yet to appear in the FIBA World Championship. Its biggest success to date was the Final Four placement at the 1975 FIBA Africa Championship when it competed as Zaire.
DR Congo joined FIBA in 1963 and made its continental debut twelve years later at the AfroBasket in 1974. The following year, at AfroBasket 1975, the teamâÂÂthen known as ZaireâÂÂfinished in fourth place with a 2âÂÂ3 record. After placing sixth in 1980, DR Congo missed the tournament for the next 27 years.
At AfroBasket 2007, DR Congo returned and finished 15th.
Following another lengthy absence, DR Congo re-emerged at AfroBasket 2017 and advanced to the quarter-finals, highlighted by an upset of Nigeria in the group phase.
In August 2022, Jonathan Kuminga, then a newly crowned NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, joined the national team for the 2023 FIBA World Cup African Qualifiers, becoming the first NBA player to represent the Leopards. He scored a team-high 18 points and six rebounds in a qualifier against Cameroon.
In qualifying for AfroBasket 2025, DR Congo impressed with a 5âÂÂ1 record under head coach Michel Perrin. Expectations grew further when Kuminga was named to the preliminary roster.
However, as the tournament approached, KumingaâÂÂs participation was cast into doubt due to unresolved contract negotiations with Golden State. He reportedly declined a two-year, $45 million extension and was considered unlikely to play for DR Congo at AfroBasket 2025.
DR Congo has never appeared in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, but has played in the qualifying rounds.
Fourth place
Champions Fourth place
Roster for the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket.
Roster in the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers of August 27, 2022.
The following players were the DR Congo's top scorers in their AfroBasket tournaments: