Festus Ezeli Says 'Black Panther' Will Change Minds About Africa

Nigerian NBA player Festus Ezeli says it's about damn time the REAL Africa was depicted on a movie screen, and tells TMZ Sports he's excited that Marvel's "Black Panther" will do just that.

We got Festus at LAX and asked him just how jammed up he was about a superhero movie set completely on his home continent, and that's when he told us how important the film is to him.

"It's great to have a movie that depicts the REAL Africa."

Ezeli goes on to tell us he's sick of the perception that Africa is a poor, backwards continent, and he thinks BP, and it's portrayal of the resource-rich, fictional nation of Wakanda, can change that perception.

"Africa is a very rich continent, and people don't know that. I think it's great we having a movie like that coming out."