Mike Fofana Explained

Mike Fofana
Team:AS Douanes
League:BAL
Position:Power forward
Birth Date:5 October 1997
Nationality:Ivorian / American
Height M:2.06
Draft Year:2019
Career Start:2020
Years1:2020–2021
Team1:Esgueira Basket
Years2:2021–2022
Team2:Sporting CP
Years3:2023–2024
Team3:ABC Fighters
Years4:2024
Team4:Esgueira Basket
College:UT Martin (2016–2018)
Henderson State (2018–2019)
High School:Whitehaven High School
(Memphis, Tennessee)
Number:13
Years5:2024–present
Team5:AS Douanes

Seydougou Santis "Mike" Fofana (born 5 October 1997) is an Ivorian-American basketball player who plays for AS Douanes of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). He is a tall power forward and also plays for the Ivory Coast national team.

High school and college career

Fofana played for Whitehaven High School and won the Tennessee State championship twice. He played two years for the UT Martin Skyhawks men's basketball team in the NCAA Division II.[1] Afterwards, Fofana played one season for the Henderson State Reddies and was an Honorable Mention All-GAC in his first year.[2]

Professional career

Fofana played his rookie season with Aveira Esgueira of the Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol (LPB), with whom he averaged 14.2 points and 6.5 rebounds.

In July 2021, Fofana signed a one-season contract with Sporting CP of the Liga Portuguesa de Basquetebol (LPB) and the FIBA Europe Cup.[3]

Fofana later moved to play for ABC Fighters of the Ivorian Basketball Championship. He was instrumental in ABC's Road to BAL campaign in 2023, as the team won the West Division and Fofana scored 12.8 points per game.[4] The Fighters successfully qualified for their first-ever Basketball Africa League (BAL) season. On 11 March 2023, Fofana scored 21 points in a opening day win over AS Douanes.[5]

In March 2024, Fofana joined AS Douanes.[6] On May 9, 2024, Fofana scored a buzzer-beating game winner against the Rivers Hoopers to win the game 56–54, the first in his career.[7]

National team career

Fofana represented the Ivory Coast national team at the 2023 FIBA AfroCan, and averaged 12.8 points and 5 rebounds per game. He scored 6 points in the, that was lost to Morocco.[8]

Personal

Fofana has three brothers, Mohamed, Moses and Javion.

References

  1. Web site: Mike Fofana – Men's Basketball . 2023-03-12 . UTM Athletics . en.
  2. Web site: Mike Fofana – 2019–20 – Men's Basketball . 2023-03-12 . Henderson State University Athletics . en.
  3. Web site: 2021-07-29 . Mike Fofana é Leão . 2023-03-12 . www.sporting.pt . pt-pt.
  4. Web site: Mike FOFANA at the Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L. 2023 2022 . 2023-03-12 . FIBA.basketball . en.
  5. Web site: 2023-03-11 . Harouna ruins debut for host team AS Douanes . 2023-03-12 . The BAL . en.
  6. Web site: 2024-03-08 . BAL 2024 : L'AS Douanes officialise l'arrivée de Mike Fofana . 2024-03-15 . fr-FR.
  7. Web site: Fofana calls game-winning shot the best of his career . 2024-05-10 . The BAL . en.
  8. Web site: Mike FOFANA at the Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L. 2023 2022 . 2023-08-17 . FIBA.basketball . fr.