Ismaël Bako
Ismaël Bako (born 10 October 1995) is a Belgian professional basketball player, who currently plays for ASVEL of the LNB Pro A. Standing at 208 cm (6 ft 10 in), he plays as center. He started his career in 2012 with Leuven Bears and transferred to Antwerp Giants in April 2017.
No. 21 – ASVEL | |
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Position | Center |
League | LNB Pro A EuroLeague |
Personal information | |
Born | Leuven, Belgium | 10 October 1995
Nationality | Belgian |
Listed height | 208 cm (6 ft 10 in) |
Listed weight | 95 kg (209 lb) |
Career information | |
NBA draft | 2017 / Undrafted |
Playing career | 2012–present |
Career history | |
2012–2017 | Leuven Bears |
2017–2019 | Antwerp Giants |
2019–present | ASVEL |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Professional career
Leuven
Bako started his career with Leuven Bears in the Pro Basketball League, making his debut in 2012. He was named the BLB Young Player of the Year of the 2016–17 season, after averaging 8.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.[1]
Antwerp
In April 2017, he signed with Antwerp Giants.[2] In the 2018–19 season, Bako won the Belgian Basketball Cup with the Giants. He was named the Belgian Cup Most Valuable Player.[3] In the same season, the team reached the Final Four of the Basketball Champions League. Antwerp finished in third place after defeating Brose Bamberg in the third place game. Bako was named to the Basketball Champions League Star Lineup.
ASVEL
On 3 July 2019, Bako signed a two-year contract with LDLC ASVEL of the French LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague.[4] He averaged 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. On June 12, 2020, he re-signed with the team for an additional season.[5]
National team career
Bako has been a member of the Belgian national basketball team since 2016. At 21, Bako was the youngest member of the squad that played at EuroBasket 2017.[6]
References
- "Ismaël Bako Young Player of the Year". Euromillionsbasketball.be. 2017-05-15. Retrieved 2017-05-15.
- "Ismaël Bako naar Port of Antwerp Giants". Gazet van Antwerpen. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- "Fysieke kracht geeft doorslag: Giants doorbreken hegemonie en pronken met beker". www.msn.com. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- "ASVEL acquires Ismael Bako". Eurohoops. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
- "LDLC Asvel extends Ismael Bako". Sportando. June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- "Dit zijn onze 12 Lions voor Eurobasket 2017 - detail - Basketbal Vlaanderen". basketbal.vlaanderen. Retrieved 2017-09-06.