Cedella Marley, renowned for her leadership in taking the Reggae Girlz from obscurity to back-to-back FIFA World Cups, is now embracing a new mission—elevating Jamaican basketball to the global stage. On Friday night at the AC Hotel in Kingston, Marley was formally introduced as Ambassador for the Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA) by President Paulton Gordon during a mixer with key stakeholders. And from the very first moment, she made it clear—this is about much more than basketball.
“Basketball is more than sport,” Marley said during her speech. “It’s a movement. It’s a lifeline. It’s a pathway. It brings us together. It lifts us higher. It gives our youth a reason to dream big—and shoot even higher.”
That philosophy is already in motion, literally. Marley played a pivotal role in facilitating the visit of AJ Dybantsa, the top-rated basketball player in the United States and a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. A freshman at Brigham Young University (BYU), Dybantsa was accompanied by his parents, Anicet "Ace" Dybantsa Sr. and Chelsea Dybantsa, for a tour aimed at inspiring Jamaican youth through direct engagement and gear giveaways.
Their tour kicked off on Friday, starting with a stop at Dupont Primary School where they distributed basketball gear and interacted with students in a programme supported by the media. They then visited Whitfield Primary School where they continued their outreach efforts.
“The kids were so happy to see him,” Marley reflected. “It was a joy just to watch them. Obviously, they had to look up to him—literally—but what mattered most is that they saw someone who looked like them. Same colour, same hair, same eyes. And he is what he is—a rising star. Those are the dreams we have to build on.”
With a Jamaican mother and Congolese father, Dybantsa’s visit resonated deeply, symbolising the global identity and potential of Jamaica’s youth. Marley used the moment to emphasize the importance of representation, cultural pride, and vision.
Cedella’s passion for the initiative stems not only from her own track record in sports development, but also from a familiar source: her son (Saiyan Marley). “It’s actually my son who got me into this,” she shared. “He did the same thing with the Reggae Girlz—brought home a flyer, and 14 years later we’re in back-to-back World Cups.”
Now, she’s applying that same maternal instinct and visionary leadership to basketball.
“I just started today,” she admitted to Sportsmax.TV, “so I still need to get to know the players. But what I do is surround myself with people who know what it takes to succeed. And then I ask, ‘What do you need?’ and I get it to you. That’s it.”
Jamaica is set to compete at the FIBA World Cup Pre-Qualifiers in August, to be held in either Mexico or Chile, and Marley is determined to ensure the team heads into that campaign with more than just hope.
“There’s still a lot of room for improvement—everything from courts to kids to balls,” she noted. “But the interest is already there. I’ve seen the turnout at the National Stadium, I’ve watched the guys in the league. It’s just timing—and nothing comes before its time.”
She ended her speech on Friday night with a message that captured her trademark blend of passion and purpose: “Let’s give these young kids in Jamaica a shot—boys and girls. Let’s do it together. All of us.”