AHMEDABAD (India) - Taking a look at Abdulla Mousa's schedule for this month of August alone should be enough to make a man feel exhausted, given the tournaments he has to play for with the Qatar national teams.
Yes, teams. At the moment, he's suiting up for the youth squad in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup, and in about two weeks, he'll be rejoining the men's side for Window 4 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
But the second-generation cager is hardly feeling tired whatsoever. Nor is he letting the burden of being entrusted with such responsibilities get in the way of serving the best he could. In fact, he's enjoying the ride.
"Just trying to have fun through it," he said with a smile. "I'm young. So, I can play, like, now, and then in a week, I'll play in the World Cup Qualifiers. I'm just having fun through it. I'm just embracing the experience."
And taking nothing for granted.
Definitely, Mousa's gotten used to the grind. Because he has been part of the senior unit as early as the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers, brought in as part of a young group being groomed for a grander goal.
For years now, Qatar have been developing the best possible team they could put together for next year's World Cup being the host, and the son of Asian basketball icon Yasseen Musa has been in their plans.
So, since last year, Mousa has been juggling duties between youth and men's teams. Aside from the windows, he competed in the U18 Asia Cup GBA Qualifiers as well, helping the Qataris to a runner-up finish.
Now, he's in the middle of another busy stretch. But the 18-year-old is charging everything to experience - something that he's been garnering over the last few years playing not just with Qatar but outside, too.
While most fans remember him for being the youngest to ever play in the FIBA West Asia Super League with Al Rayyan, some knew him for his stints in Basketball Without Borders camps in the last two years.
He even made some noise during the 2026 BWB All-Star in Los Angeles just last February when he won the Three-Point Shootout, which surely garnered some attention from coaches and scouts present in the event.
No doubt that he's grown since his early days representing Qatar - he made his FIBA youth debut during the 2022 U18 Asia Cup in Iranand has since become a regular in the team - but the work doesn't stop for him.
"A lot of learning," said Mousa, who's in his third straight U18 Asia Cup. "It's just experience. And getting stronger and getting bigger. That's pretty much it. I'm working on my game and it's helping me so much."
And that same experience is what he's trying to share with his teammates, as Mousa has also been trying to embrace being a leader - a role which he may be assuming at the senior level in the near future.
"Just encouraging them, letting them know that this is gonna happen at this time, this is gonna happen at that time, and just giving them information as much as I can, on the court and off the court," he said.
"Just teaching them," he added humbly.
He's loving the entire process, for sure.
FIBA