Souleymane Berthe found his love for the game of basketball by pure coincidence.
Souleymane Berthe was 14 years old when he realized that maybe he wasn’t born to be a soccer player. “I was like every other kid on the continent,” the 6’7 Stade Malien forward said, “I was kicking the ball rather than bouncing it” It was by chance – or serendipity – that an interaction with a neighbor changed the course of his life.
“[I] saw someone in my neighborhood bouncing the ball and watching [basketball] games on TV. This guy would always practice in my neighborhood and it made me fall in love with the game too…watching him practice.”
The Republic of Mali isn’t known for breeding basketball players. Its dispersion of athletics has increased drastically over the past 20 years, with soccer as the overwhelming favorite. Out of 20 million documented residents in Mali – the eight largest country in Africa – 70% of the population is under the age of 25. Its young people are engulfed in sports.
However, two of those 20 million veered off the path and fell in love with basketball thanks to their exposure to soccer.
The result? Becoming the most promising prospects to have ever come out of Mali.
Stade Malien won the Sahara Conference and looks forward to playing in the BAL’s championship round later this month.
A similar story exists for Berthe’s frontcourt mate Aliou Diarra, who was also introduced to basketball after playing soccer in his village in Bamako. A few of Diarra’s friends mentioned he should stick with the sport because of his long legs and athleticism. As Berthe and Diarra’s started to take basketball more seriously, they befriended each through open gyms around the city —- quickly earning them a reputation for being top-notch hoopers in their community.
They channeled their passion for the game by dedicating themselves to developing their skill sets daily. An insatiable work-ethic led to them collectively turning heads at these same pickup runs, catching the attention of Stade Malien Head Coach Kaba Kanté in the act.
“They are two young players that are very passionate about the game of basketball,” Kanté said. “They also happen to be strong and athletic and bring positive energy to environments they touch. We knew they would be supported well by the staff and administration at Stade Malien which would make them continue to grow their game.”
To say the duo has made steady improvement to their game over the season would be an understatement. Having no professional basketball experience prior to this stint with the BAL, Berthe (22) and Diarra (21) have steered the Stade Malien ship to a Sahara Conference title.
They’re collectively contributing to team success while separating themselves from the pack individually, proving to be the most promising duo in the league. Berthe ranks fourth in the BAL in scoring, averaging 20 points per game, while Diarra is logging 18 points and 13 rebounds, and two blocks per contest.
The Malian prospects possess an on-the-court prowess that’s transparent. Berthe is a lanky, yet lean wing player that can score from all three levels — all while being a pest defensively on the other side of the court.
At 6’9, Diarra is an undersized center that runs the floor like a track star and has mitts for hands — enabling him to be a tremendous finisher around the rim. Diarra has also proven to be dominant on the defensive end while leading the BAL in rebounds and blocks.
Despite the success, Souleymane Berthe and Aliou Diarra have both struggled to acclimate to what comes with being a professional. Diarra is especially committed to learning from the growing pains and becoming the best basketball version of himself.
Joining the BAL was Diarra’s first experience playing basketball on an international scale.
“This is my first time playing basketball outside of Mali,” Diarra said. “It’s not easy adjusting – but I’m trying as much as possible to be more professional and more organized. Basketball is something I’m very passionate about and I want to be the best player I can possibly be.”
Diarra’s performance during this BAL circuit has earned him a spot on Mali’s national team for the African Nations Championship — a FIBA-organized tournament where other intercontinental countries compete against each other. He hopes to continue playing at a high level to earn a long-term contract with a professional team.
Unsurprisingly, Souleymane Berthe has similar aspirations. Though prepping for the future, the Stade Malien stars are remaining present — focused on their matchup against a formidable Cape Town Tigers team on May 20th.
“We’re just excited to be playing for our country,” Berthe said. “We’re happy with the outcome of our season so far but will need to give it our all to be champions. For now, we both are just living our dream knowing that our best will be good enough.”
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Watch Stade Malien take on the Cape Town Tigers May 20th at 10 a.m. ET on the NBA App and NBA.com.
