Ivory Coast is one African nation which is famous for its soccer stars, but with the increasing popularity of basketball, we are having more and more basketball stars coming in the limelight. NBA being the premier league in the sport, has been the epitome of every basketball aspirant. So, Cote d'Ivoire players are also looking to get into the league.
Although the competition is very tough, few Cote d'Ivoire Players have managed to break into the league. This also proves that the league is open for all kinds of talents and hard work does pay off for the talented stars. Let us go through Cote d'Ivoire NBA Players, and check their journey in the league.
Côte d'Ivoire NBA Players
As mentioned earlier, getting into the NBA takes a lot of work, with more than 100 countries players and thousands of players looking to get into the top league. Ivorian players have a tough root to the NBA but fooling players managed to make their name in the league.
Matt Costello
A pioneer in the NBA for Cote d'Ivoire players to dream big and play in the NBA would be Matt Costello. Costello originally went undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft but was then selected by San Antonio Spurs. He played in just 4 games and 8 minutes in total for the Spurs. He contributed with an average of 2.3 rebounds in those games.
After a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs, Matt Costello divided time between the Spurs and San Antonio's G-League affiliate. He made it to the NBA team on November 12 and played against Chicago Bulls.
Alex Poythress
While there are very few Ivoians in the NBA. one more prominent name is Alex Poythress. Just like Matt Costello, Poythress went undrafted in the 2016 NBA draft but got selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2017. The 6 feet 9-inch forward played 6 games for the Sixers and recorded a career-high average of 10.7 points, and 4.8 rebounds. He also go a starting role in the 76ers jersey.
As an Ivorian player, Alex played most games (52) and participated with 3 different teams - the 76ers, the Pacers, and the Hawks. Although Poythress played most games for the Pacers, he couldn’t reach his stats set with the Philly team.
Mo Bamba
The biggest name in the Cote d'Ivoire NBA Players is without any question Mo Bamba. Both of his parents originally are from the Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire). Although he has yet to feature with the Ivory Coast team, he has roots that could make him eligible for the international call.
Selected as the 6th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Mo Bamba has played with Orlando Magic, and Los Angeles Lakers and signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. Mo Bamba averaged 7.5 points, 1.3 blocks and 6 rebounds per game.
As of now, there are three players from the Cote d'Ivoire background, but with an increase in the passion and love for the sport, we expect more and more stars to shine in the league.
FAQs
A. Amongst the active NBA players, Mo Bamba has a Cote d'Ivoire background, while Alex Poythress is still active and listed as a free agent.
A. Mo Bamba has played most games as an Ivory Coast player.
A. Matt Costello debuted first in the NBA and is seen as a pioneer for Cote d'Ivoire players to play in the NBA.
A. As of the 2023 FIBA rankings, Cote d'Ivoire holds the 42nd position in the World.
A. As of 2023., Côte d'Ivoire is yet to win FIBA World Cup.
