Angola’s basketball scene just exploded! National superstars Carlos Morais & Jone Pedro have made the bold move from 2024 Basketball Africa League champions Petro de Luanda to their fierce domestic rivals, Interclube. This move will shake up the Angolan Unitel Basket League. What factors contributed to this move?
Last Updated on
January 31, 2025
Nowadays, it seems Angola's basketball superstars can't stay out of the headlines. From Bruno Fernando getting waived by the Toronto Raptors to his blockbuster EuroLeague move to Real Madrid, Angolan players are making waves. Now, two of his compatriots, Jone Pedro and Carlos Morais, have stolen the spotlight with a controversial transfer from 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) champions Petro de Luanda to fierce domestic rivals Interclube.
In the infamous words of Jay-Z: "It was all good just a week ago..."—or was it? From the outside looking in, it should have been. Why wouldn't it be? Petro de Luanda, a 45-year-old powerhouse, is coming off a truly historic 2024 season, securing a triple crown cohort of gold—winning their 11th Supertaça de Angola (Angola Supercup), their 17th Unitel Basket League (Angolan Basketball League) title and most importantly, their first-ever BAL championship in front of millions of viewers worldwide.
However, seemingly just like a salty Drake fan, Interclube couldn't just let Petro bask in their glory—they had to get their lick back. And they did (kind of—we'll get to that) by pulling off the shocking signings of two of Luanda's loyal stars, Jone Pedro and Carlos Morais. But did they really get their lick back?
At 34, big man Jone Pedro is entering the twilight of his highly respected career, which has seen him win two Unitel Basket League titles, an Angolan Cup, and a Supertaça de Angola. However, his role at Petro was noticeably reduced during their BAL title run. While he played in all but one game in 2024, his minutes dropped to just 17 per game—down from 19 in 2023, 22 in 2022, and 25 in 2021. In the BAL final, he was on the court for under nine minutes. But in true Jayson Tatum-Team USA-Paris Olympics fashion, a win is a win, and gold is gold—no matter how many minutes one plays.
Seemingly recognizing the writing on the wall, the Portugal-born rim-runner took his talents to Spain's third division (Segunda FEB, formerly LEB Plata) to play for Fibwi Palma for the 2024-25 season. However, the move didn't pan out as expected. Pedro averaged 17.9 minutes per game in just four games, putting up 5.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks.
According to an inside source, Petro de Luanda—not Pedro—decided to part ways. The club reportedly felt they had a younger, similar player in Cleusio Castro. Several insiders have framed Petro's decision as addition by subtraction.
The departure of 39-year-old Carlos Morais, one of Africa's most respected shooting guards, is layered with complexity. Morais boasts an illustrious resume as a nine-time Angolan League champion, Portuguese League champion, two-time Portuguese League All-Star, and Portuguese Cup MVP. However, during Petro's 2024 BAL campaign, his minutes were slashed to 19.7 per game—down from 27.5 in 2023 (when he averaged 15.6 PPG) and 27.8 in 2022.
According to an inside source, Morais voiced his concerns to the coaching staff and front office about his diminished role. Petro, unwilling to extend his minutes, offered him a front-office position to complement his dwindling role in the squad. However, with aspirations of playing in the 2025 FIBA Men's AfroBasket—hosted in Angola—Morais declined the offer. He sought a team that valued him as a key contributor, a move that would boost his chances of making Angola's AfroBasket squad.
While heartbreaking for many African basketball fans—especially those in Angola—Petro de Luanda had long foreseen Pedro and Morais's eventual departures. That is simply the nature of professional team sports. However, the sting for Petro fans comes from the duo's choice of destination: Interclube.
In a league where only two or three clubs truly contend for titles, Pedro and Morais had limited options if they wanted to stay in Angola. A return to Spain or Portugal—or even a move to Portuguese-speaking Brazil—was always going to be a long shot.
As with all team sports, only time, chemistry, and on-court execution will determine if Pedro and Morais made the right move. Will their presence elevate Interclube? Or will Petro's decision to move on from them prove to be a masterstroke?
One thing is certain: Angola's basketball landscape, especially that heading towards the Basketball Africa League season, just got a whole lot more interesting. But when Interclube games are televised in Angola, in the famous words of Kendrick Lamar's "TV Off," someone might have to actually turn off Petro de Luanda fans' TVs!
[Photography Courtesy of The Basketball Africa League and FIBA]
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