This series is brought to you by United Dairy Industry of Michigan.
The parks in New York City are where basketball started for me.
I was 16 years old and didn’t know much about the game.
I was born in New York, but my family is from Mali, so I primarily grew up in West Africa.
We returned to the United States to get my passport renewed, and I didn’t like my school in Mali, so I tried to find a reason to stay here in the U.S.
I started playing basketball in the park and realized that basketball could be that reason.
I remember the kids saying, “You’re 6’6”. Why can’t you dunk?!” So, I wanted to learn.
All I could do was block shots and run the floor at first, but as I became accustomed to the flow of the game, my skillset quickly improved.
It was the same with the language.
I spoke little English back then, but the kids in New York always tried to talk to me, asking me about my height.
The more of those little interactions, the more fluent I became, and it was at that time I wanted to do more with basketball.
Getting to Oklahoma
My college career has taken me to many different places.
I started my college career at Harcum College in Pennsylvania.
Playing at the junior college level wasn’t bad. It helped me get used to college and basketball.
After my freshman year, I transferred to West Virginia, getting my shot at the DI level.
It was an opportunity to play at the highest level and develop my game further.
After my sophomore season at WVU, I transferred to Alabama, where I got the opportunity to play in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), allowing me a chance to know how tough it is to play in the league.
It was exactly what I needed at that time.
Now, I’m here at Oklahoma, using my experiences to leave a mark on this prestigious program.
The OU coaches made the difference, and that became clear on my first visit to Oklahoma.
They sat me down and showed me how my skillset could impact the program. It showed me that coaches had a plan for me and that I was more than just another recruit.
And that is all I needed to see and hear.
This is our Season
Oklahoma joined the SEC this year, and I already have experience in the league.
It’s a different world.
I’m making my voice heard in practice and helping my teammates better understand SEC play.
But I’m also a student of the game, so I’m always learning from my coaches and teammates, too.
Our team has good chemistry.
I’ve always been good at building relationships with teammates, but it has been exciting to see everybody come together this season.
When Selection Sunday comes around next spring, we don’t want to worry about ‘last four in’ or ‘first four out’.
That’s one of our goals for the year.
We want to be in the tournament.
Period.
We must bring it every single day, and I cannot wait to get the season started.
Chasing a Dream
My time in basketball has been rewarding but difficult, too.
I’ve made sacrifices to be in the position that I’m in today.
Last year, I missed my sister getting married in Mali, and two months ago, she had a kid.
But I need to look at the bigger picture and keep going.
I don’t know what my life will look like when I’m done playing at Oklahoma, but I want to stay involved in sports, helping the next generation of players.
But for now, all my energy and focus are on OU basketball.
So, let’s do this!
