JOHANNESBURG: National Basketball Association (NBA) stars played in Africa for the first time Saturday with a stirring final-quarter comeback giving Team World a 101-97 victory over Team Africa in Johannesburg.

Team Africa included NBA players from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Senegal and South Sudan and they made the running against opposition consisting largely of American-born stars.

The African selection led 30-17 after the first quarter, 56-38 at half-time and 77-62 after three quarters of the 40-minute exhibition match.

But a string of three-point field goals early in the final quarter from Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal and Memphis Grizzlies' Jeff Green changed the course of the game.

There were surprise, brief second-quarter appearances for Team Africa by retired NBA stars Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria and Dikembe Mutombo from DR Congo.

Olajuwon, who in 1984 became the first African drafted into the NBA when he joined the Houston Rockets, raised one of the loudest roars with a two-pointer before retiring breathless.

"This is an incredible day -- a dream come true," said 52-year-old Olajuwon.

"I am so proud to be part of this historic, wonderful occasion."

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who attended the match, said "it was only a matter of time before a pre-season game was staged in Africa".

A push to extend the sport beyond the United States has seen NBA activity in Europe, Brazil and China.

"This was a fun game and we found a way to win," said Team World captain Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers.

"It is difficult to be pioneers at anything these days and we have achieved that status by playing in Africa for the first time."

South Sudan-born Team Africa captain Luol Deng from the Miami Heat said: "Everyone was playing for real and it was a pity we lost after leading for so long.

"Team World were a little quicker than us in an amazing game. The future for basketball in Africa is bright.

The aim of the game at the Ellis Park Arena was to 'sell' the sport to a country where football, rugby and cricket dominate.

All 4,000 tickets were sold and a mainly young, multiracial, multigender and smartly dressed crowd turned up to cheer their sporting idols.

But the task facing the NBA in South Africa is daunting judged by the sell-out 94,000 crowd that watched a pre-season football friendly between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in Soweto at the same time.

South Africa has a national basketball league and NBA matches are screened live — but a time difference means they are shown after midnight across Africa.

"This match was an experiment," said Silver, whose guests included South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula, strikingly dressed in all white.

"Among the reasons I am here is to investigate new facilities. We would want a larger, modern arena before staging a pre-season or regular season NBA match."

Kings name Nancy Lieberman assistant coach

The Sacramento Kings have become the latest NBA team to hire a woman as an assistant coach, appointing Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman to work alongside head coach George Karl, it was confirmed Friday.

Lieberman will be only the second female assistant coach with an NBA team following the appointment of Becky Hammon at the San Antonio Spurs last year.

The 57-year-old said on Twitter late Thursday she was "honored to be a Sacramento King" ahead of a formal announcement expected next week.

"Definitely I'm going to offer her a job," Kings vice president Vlade Divac was quoted as saying by the Sacramento Bee.

"George (Karl) and I talked about bringing her back after she helped us at summer league (in Las Vegas). She was terrific. She brings a different dimension. I think is a nice opportunity for her."

Lieberman's appointment comes after the success of Hammon, who became part of Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich's staff last year.

Hammon recently became the first woman to coach an NBA summer league team, steering the Spurs to the Las Vegas league title.

On Monday, meanwhile, Jen Welter, a former collegiate rugby player who played 14 seasons of professional gridiron, was named as the first woman coach in the NFL after being appointed to an intern position with the Arizona Cardinals.

Speaking to USA Today on Friday, Lieberman said she was delighted to have been handed the opportunity, praising the "open-minded" thinking which led to her appointment.

"I'm proud to see people are open-minded," Lieberman said.

Warriors acquire Jason Thompson from 76ers for Wallace

The Golden State Warriors have acquired forward/center Jason Thompson from the Philadelphia 76ers for forward Gerald Wallace, the player they had just received from Boston in the David Lee deal.

NBA champion Golden State announced the trade Friday, a deal that also gives Philadelphia cash and draft considerations.

Warriors general manager Bob Myers says Thompson "adds considerably to our team's depth, which was a big key to our success last season and will be moving forward."

The 29-year-old Thompson played in 81 games last season with 63 starts, averaging 6.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 24.6 minutes with seven double-doubles.

He was drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the 12th overall pick of the 2008 draft. Thompson was traded to Philadelphia from Sacramento, along with Carl Landry and Nik Stauskas, on July 9.