CÔTE d’Ivoire has established a strong tradition of basketball excellence on the continent over the past three decades. They will begin their quest for a first-time appearance at the Olympic Games, by trying to qualify through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Team Profile: The West African nation won two FIBA African Championships (AfroBasket) in 1981 and 1985 and earned four silver medals, with their most recent medal (again silver) coming at the 2021 edition. Les Éléphants have consistently demonstrated their determination and competitiveness, solidifying themselves as a formidable basketball nation.
The team will participate in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament games in San Juan, Puero-Rico (2-7 July). They are in Group A alongside Mexico and Lithuania.
Star Players: Côte d’Ivoire will rely on veteran point guard and floor general, Souleymane Diabaté. Diabaté, who made three clutch free throws in Les Éléphants’ sole win over Iran at the 2023 World Cup, concluded the recent BAL season as runner-up with Al Ahly Benghazi, where he averaged 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Diabaté is a dependable scorer and facilitator who will also offer Les Éléphants perimeter defence in the upcoming games.
Since wearing the Orange vest of the Côte d’Ivoire Jean Phillipe Dally has been an important cog for the Les Elephants. Dally’s ability to score and crash boards have made him a constant feature for his country.
During the FIBA World Cup, averaged 10.8 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game, and at the recent 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers, the shooting guard numbers jumped to 12 points per game and 5.3 assists per game.
Coach: Spanish coach Natxo Lezkano, who was with the team from 2011-2015 and returned in 2020, will be the head coach. Lezkano’s familiarity with the team will help identify areas for improvement as they analyze results from preparation games leading up to their first match in San Juan.
The team has undergone preparations for the OQT without recording a win but has significantly improved, reducing the scoring margin from their first loss against Belgium (88-63). In their second game against the Dominican Republic, they lost 69-67 despite Mo Bamba’s 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists. In their final encounter against Portugal, they lost 91-84.
Les Éléphants have proved themselves as a strong outfit in continental play but have yet to find their footing on the international stage. The team struggled to find their offensive footing during the World Cup, but can they come together in Puerto Rico to make Paris 2024 a reality?
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