African women creating a legacy in France

ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - African women players have been exporting their talent to France, where some of the most renowned ones play for the Ligue Feminine de Basketball's top outfits.

It might be coincidental, but some of them are part of the FIBA Africa Editorial Team's pick for the top African women players of the decade. Thing is, they are getting a whole lot of attention through their performances.

Currently, the French top division is home to some 10 African women players. Arguably so, Nigeria's flag is flying high up there, with five players. FCB Ardennes is the home of center Evelyn Akhator, while point guard Ezinne Kalu currently sports Landerneau Bretagne Basket's outfit.

Other clubs that feature Nigerian players are Saint Armand Basketball, with Uju Ugoka, Nantes Reze, who counts Ify Ibekwe in their roster, and Charnay Basket Bourgogne Sud, where Promise Amukamara plies her trade.

Mame-Marie Sy formerly wore Villeneuve d'Ascq's uniform

Comparatively, Senegal's flag is represented with Mame Sy at FCB Ardennes and Bintou Dieme at Nantes Reze. On the same note, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire and Mozambique, with respectively Djene Diwara and Kariata Diaby at Villeneuve d'Ascq, and Leia Dongue, who just signed at Nantes Reze, are among the other African nations represented in the French championship.

This process of exportation to Europe, and particularly France, is the proof that Africa's potential is being recognized.

"I think we've proved quite a few times that African basketball is on the right track, making us African players a force to reckon with", says Kalu, who featured in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament All-Star Five in Serbia, earlier this year, alongside Leia Dongue, Serbia's Ana Dabovic and USA's duo of Nneka Ogwumike and Aj'a Wilson.

As a support to her statement, Diaby appeared in 2019-20 LFB's All-Star Five, while Kalu, named MVP of the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2019 in Dakar, Senegal, topped Landerneau's stats with 15,5 PPG.

Similarly, Evelyn Akhator was instrumental in FCB Ardennes' Top 10 finish during the 2019-20 exercise. These are just examples, but they count. "There's so much talent in Africa and it shows," acknowledges Kalu once again.

Senegal's Mame Sy, also one of the top African players of recent times, has been plying her trade in France for a quite a while. With a champion's pedigree to call her own, she's aware that they are being watched.

"The fact that African women players are being recruited not only in France, but all over Europe, is a good sign. This means we're on the right track, and we, as flag-bearers, are earning some recognition," she said.

Initially, some of the continent's superstars have begun their careers at university level in the USA.

"It started like this", says Mame Sy, citing Evelyn Akhator as an example. "And then, they go back to playing for their countries, meaning they level up the game. Now, we're playing our game, and we do it without any complex." 

These past years have seen an incredible rise in Africa's worth around the globe. The Nigerian squad that reached the quarter-finals at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Tenerife (2018) made a piece of history, adding more prestige to their names.

"Team Nigeria for sure are setting the bar high and breaking down barriers. We are competing at the highest level with both European and non-European teams", says Kalu.

As a matter of fact, the story might not end here. Both Kalu and Mame Sy promise much more. "It's safe to say that we are going to continue shocking the world," underlines the FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2019 MVP.

And Sy closes the chapter: "Nigeria showed the world that Africa has got talent. And the rest of African countries are leveling up to compete too."

FIBA