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"How many people in the world professionally play football vs. basketball?"

You'd be surprised.

"Somehow I doubt Ghana or Ivory Coast have a decent basketball league"

They both have basketball leagues.
I was in Ghana as far back as 1973, visited a high school in the Central Region, and found they had a good basketball court, and a competent basketball team.

Plus Africa regularly sends teams to the Olypmpic basketball competition, after playing qualifying matches.

Talking about soccer, it wasn't till the 70's before any African team was even allowed to enter the World Cup at all, and even then, there was just ONE team from Africa allowed at the time.
In fact, until very recently the overwhelming majority of the teams for the World Cup, came from just Europe and to a lesser extent South America, with the other continents left to feed on the dribs and drabs.
In fact the world's most populous countries, India and China, with combined 2.5 billion in population) have never even played in the World Cup before

"So consider the environment to be called a great player in football vs. basketball, where you only play in the NBA year in - year out against mostly the same rivals"

As against soccer players like Zidane, playing against the same players game after game in the Europeans soccer leagues? With a World Cup coming in just once in every four years?
Puleeze!
When it comes to athleticism, strength, speed, and sheer power, the soccer players are not even on the same planet as the NBA players.
They soccer players can't even BEGIN to compete.

"Come to think of it, Zidane may be Jordan x 5"

That's proof, if any more were needed, of your insanity.
But don't worry, we'll get your treatment.