ABIDJAN (Côte d'Ivoire) - The FIBA U18 AfroBasket tips off in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (5-16 August), and ahead of the tournament, FIBA.Basketball goes back in time to track the careers of the former tournament MVPs.
Youssouf Mamby Traore - (2024 U18 AfroBasket MVP)
DOB: 26 December 2006 Points: 12.8 ppg Rebounds: 16.2 rpg Assists: 2.7 apg
The athletic forward Traoré led Mali to their third U18 AfroBasket title in South Africa, scoring 15 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in their victory over Cameroon.
The following year, he represented Mali at the U19 World Cup in Switzerland.
Although he was still representing Mali's youth team, he had already spent a considerable amount of time playing in Spain for Casademont Zaragoza, a club he would go on to represent at the FIBA Europe Cup in both 2024 and 2026.
Earlier this month, he announced on social media that he had committed to the High Point University Panthers, joining the many other players from Mali who have committed to or are pursuing college careers in the United States.
Mathias M'Madi - (2022 U18 AfroBasket MVP)
DOB: 2 June 2005 Points: 20.8 ppg Rebounds: 3.0 rpg Assists: 5.0 apg
M'Madi was outstanding for Madagascar at the 2022 tournament on home soil.
His best game was against Guinea in the quarter-finals, where he scored 28 points and provided seven assists.
The floor general led the island nation to a surprise final appearance, where they lost to Egypt.
However, they secured a place at the 2023 U19 World Cup in Hungary.
Following two BWB Global competitions, he spent a season with the Seward County Saints at a US community college.
Now aged 21, M'madi has already represented his country at the 2025 AfroBasket and competed for them at the 2027 FIBA World Cup Africa qualifiers in Senegal in February.
He currently plays professionally for the French third-tier club BC Orchies.
Bourama Coulibaly - (2020 U18 AfroBasket MVP)
DOB: 27 July 2002 Points: 11.4 ppg Rebounds: 4.0 rpg Assists: 2.3 apg
Sidibe helped Mali secure a second U18 trophy at the tournament in Egypt.
The shooting guard led the Malians to victory in the final against neighbours Senegal (82–80), scoring 21 points and achieving five rebounds and five assists.
Coulibaly and Mali will take to the global stage at the U19 Basketball World Cup in Latvia in 2021.
Having grown up through the Malian youth ranks, Coulibaly played basketball in his home country for AS Police and has recently joined Stade Malien.
Siriman Kanoute - (2018 U18 AfroBasket MVP)
DOB: 25 September 2001 Points: 14.3 ppg Rebounds: 2.3 rpg Assists: 5.1 apg
Kanouté was the star of the show for Mali when they secured their first U18 men's title in front of a home crowd in 2018.
The point guard had his best game at that tournament against Angola in the semi-final, scoring 21 points and grabbing six rebounds.
He was also a key member of the legendary national U19 team that made history for African basketball by becoming the first team from the continent to reach the final of the 2019 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Greece.
He has since played in two AfroBaskets (in 2021 and 2025) and two FIBA Basketball World Cup Africa qualifiers (in 2023 and 2027).
The 2025 AfroBasket finalist currently plays for the French Pro B club Orleans Loiret Basket.
Silvio Sousa - (2016 U18 AfroBasket MVP)
DOB: 7 October 1998 Points: 17.1 ppg Rebounds: 7.6 rpg Assists: 1.3 apg
Forward Sousa was a dominant force for Angola in the U18 tournament held in Rwanda.
He recorded a double-double (23 points and 15 rebounds) in the group stage win against Egypt (84–65), and delivered another in the final against the same opponents as Angola returned home with their fourth title.
At senior national level, Sousa was part of the Angolan team that won the 12th AfroBasket title at home last year.
He established a career at Kansas State and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before turning professional.
He currently plays for the Greek club Marrousi BC.
Other U18 AfroBasket MVPs
Other former U18 AfroBasket Most Valuable Players (MVPs) from the last two decades include Gerson Domingos of Angola (2014), Ehab Amin, Aly Ahmed and Amr Gendy of Egypt (2012, 2010 and 2008 respectively) and Waly Coulibaly of Mali (2006).
FIBA