Ivory Coast men's national basketball team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Ivory Coast women's national basketball team.

Côte d'Ivoire
FIBA ranking39 3 (2 December 2025)[1]
Joined FIBA1961
FIBA zoneFIBA Africa
National federationFédération Ivoirienne de Basket-Ball
CoachMiguel Ángel Hoyo
Nickname(s)Les Éléphants
(The Elephants)
FIBA World Cup
Appearances5
AfroBasket
Appearances25
Medals Gold (1981, 1985)
Silver (1978, 1980, 2009, 2021)
AfroCan
Appearances2
Medals Silver (2023)

The Ivory Coast men's national basketball team is the men's basketball side that represents Ivory Coast in international competition. The team competes regularly in the African Championship and is administered by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Basket-Ball.[2]

With two AfroBasket titles and six overall finals appearances, the country is traditionally home to one of the continent's finest basketball national teams. The Elephants have played at the FIBA Basketball World Cup five times and also played in the 2023 edition.

History

Early AfroBasket Success (1968–1985)

After a 5th place finish at the FIBA Africa Championship 1968 in Morocco, the Ivory Coast national basketball team rose to prominence in the late 1970s and 1980s.

Côte d’Ivoire reached the final of the FIBA Africa Championship in 1978 and 1980, finishing as runners-up to Senegal on both occasions.[3]

First AfroBasket titles

In 1981, Côte d’Ivoire captured their first continental title, defeating the Egypt in the championship game. Four years later, while hosting the 1985 AfroBasket in Abidjan, they claimed a second title after beating the Angola.[4]

Return to the World Stage (2009–2019)

AfroBasket 2009 silver

After years outside of the spotlight, Côte d’Ivoire finished second at AfroBasket 2009, their first podium finish since 1985.[5]

2010 FIBA World Championship

The result qualified the team for the 2010 FIBA World Championship, their first FIBA Basketball World Cup appearance since 1986. Côte d’Ivoire finished with a 1–4 record, but celebrated a historic milestone by defeating the Puerto Rico 88–76 in their final group game — the nation’s first-ever World Cup victory.[6]

Dramatic Qualification for 2019 World Cup

In the final round of African qualifiers, Côte d’Ivoire needed to win their last three games by a combined margin of 66 points in order to qualify as the best-ranked third-placed team. Against the odds, they surpassed that mark with a total margin of 73 points.[7]

A decisive moment came in their 72–46 victory over the Nigeria, one of Africa’s strongest squads. Combined with a loss for the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire clinched qualification ahead of Cameroon.[8]

2019 World Cup Campaign

At the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Côte d’Ivoire competed in Group A alongside China, Poland and Venezuela.[9]

Later years (2020–present)

AfroBasket Resurgence and Near Miss (2021)

Côte d’Ivoire advanced to the AfroBasket 2021 final held in Rwanda, marking the first time they reached the championship game since AfroBasket 2009. In the semi-finals, they defeated the Senegal 75–65, powered by a dominant double-double from Matt Costello (17 points, 12 rebounds), contributions from Vafessa Fofana and Nisre Mimi Zouzoua, and a strong bench performance by Souleyman Diabaté scoring 14 points.[10]

In the final, Côte d’Ivoire narrowly lost to the Tunisia 78–75, as Tunisia retained their title. Souleyman Diabaté was a standout for the Ivorians, scoring a game-high 22 points.[11]

2025 AfroBasket Campaign: Qualifying Dominance

Côte d’Ivoire entered the AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers with authority, posting a perfect 6–0 record. Notable victories against the Egypt in Cairo and Madagascar demonstrated their preparation and ambition.[12]

In the main tournament scheduled for August 2025 in Angola, Côte d’Ivoire competes in the group phase with fixtures against Rwanda, Cape Verde, and DR Congo.[13]

Competitive record

FIBA World Cup

FIBA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Round Position GP W L GP W L
1963 did not qualify AfroBasket served as qualification
1967
1970
1974
1978
1982 Classification round 13th 7 0 7
1986 Preliminary round 23rd 5 0 5
1990 did not qualify
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010 Preliminary round 21st 5 1 4
2014 did not qualify
2019 Classification round 29th 5 0 5 12 7 5
2023 27th 5 1 4 12 10 2
2027 To be determined To be determined
5/17 27 2 25 24 17 7

FIBA Africa Championship

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place  

Year Round Position GP W L
1962 did not enter
1964
1965
1968 Seventh place 7th 7 4 3
1970 did not qualify
1972 Tenth place 10th 6 1 5
1974 did not qualify
1975
1978 Runners-up 2nd 6 4 2
1980 2nd 7 5 2
1981 Champions 1st 7 6 1
1983 Fourth place 4th 6 3 3
1985 Champions 1st 7 6 1
1987 Classification stage 7th 5 2 3
1989 5th 7 4 3
1992 Preliminary round 11th 5 1 4
1993 Classification stage 6th 5 2 3
1995 7th 5 3 2
1997 8th 5 1 4
1999 Eight place 8th 6 2 4
2001 Classification stage 8th 6 2 4
2003 Eleventh place 11th 6 2 4
2005 Classification stage 10th 7 3 4
2007 Quarterfinals 8th 6 2 4
2009 Runners-up 2nd 9 5 4
2011 Fourth place 4th 8 3 5
2013 4th 7 5 2
2015 Round of 16 12th 5 2 3
2017 Preliminary round 14th 3 0 3
2021 Runners-up 2nd 6 5 1
2025 Quarter-finals 7th 4 3 1
Total 151 76 75

FIBA AfroCan

  Runners-up

Year Round Position GP W L
2019 Tenth place 10th 3 0 3
2023 Runners-up 2nd 6 5 1
Total 9 5 4

African Games

See also: Basketball at the African Games
  • 1978 –
  • 1987 –
  • 2003 – 4th
  • 2007 – 6th
  • 2011 – 8th
  • 2015 – 7th

Team

Current roster

Team for the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket.[14]

Côte d'Ivoire national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
0 Assemian Moulare 22 – (2003-01-21)21 January 2003 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) JA Vichy Basket
2 Bazoumana Koné 31 – (1993-12-13)13 December 1993 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Mitteldeutscher BC
7 Maxence Dadiet 26 – (1999-03-02)2 March 1999 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) Stade Toulousain Basketball
8 Lionel Kouadio 23 – (2001-09-01)1 September 2001 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) CB Morón
10 Solo Diabate 38 – (1987-07-21)21 July 1987 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Atletico Petroleos
12 Vafessa Fofana 33 – (1992-06-12)12 June 1992 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) BCM Gravelines Dunkerque
16 Bali Coulibaly 30 – (1995-07-03)3 July 1995 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Caen Basket Calvados
21 Amadou Sidibe 31 – (1994-03-25)25 March 1994 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Élan Béarnais
22 Sydney Hawmmond 25 – (2000-02-10)10 February 2000 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) Poissy Basket
24 Matt Costello 32 – (1993-08-05)5 August 1993 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) Valencia Basket
25 Junior Ouattara 25 – (2000-07-07)7 July 2000 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) Stade Toulousain Basketball
77 Jean Philippe Dally 29 – (1996-03-08)8 March 1996 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) JDA Dijon Basket
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • nat field describes country
    of last club before the tournament
  • Age field is age on 12 August 2025

Notable players

Other current notable players from Ivory Coast:

Ivory Coast roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
G Pape-Philippe Amagou 32 – (1985-02-27)27 February 1985 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) Le Mans Sarthe Basket
G/F Guy Landry Edi 28 – (1988-12-26)26 December 1988 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) Saint-Chamond Basket
F/C Herve Lamizana 36 – (1981-01-22)22 January 1981 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) Yulon Luxgen
PF Herve Toure 35 – (1982-02-25)25 February 1982 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) Estudiantes Concordia
C Louri Frejus Zerbo 28 – (1989-04-02)2 April 1989 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) Limoges CSP Elite
C Mohamed Bamba 19 – (1998-05-12)12 May 1998 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) Orlando Magic
Legend
  • Club – describes current club
  • Age – describes age on 8 June 2017

Past rosters

Roster for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[15][16]

Ivory Coast men's national basketball team – 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
PG 0 Assémian Moularé 20 – (2003-01-21)21 January 2003 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) Vichy-Clermont
SF 1 Charles Abouo 33 – (1989-11-04)4 November 1989 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Le Portel
PG 2 Bazoumana Kone 29 – (1993-12-13)13 December 1993 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Karlsruhe Lions
PF 3 Amadou Sidibé 29 – (1994-03-25)25 March 1994 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Peñarol
SF 4 Patrick Tapé 25 – (1998-06-08)8 June 1998 2.14 m (7 ft 0 in) Caledonia Gladiators
SG 7 Maxence Dadiet 24 – (1999-03-02)2 March 1999 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) Toulouse
F 8 Mike Fofana 25 – (1997-10-05)5 October 1997 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) ABC Fighters
PG 10 Solo Diabate 36 – (1987-07-21)21 July 1987 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) Petro de Luanda
SF 12 Vafessa Fofana 31 – (1992-06-12)12 June 1992 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) Gravelines-Dunkerque
C 23 Cédric Bah (C) 29 – (1994-05-11)11 May 1994 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) Vichy-Clermont
SG 45 Nisre Zouzoua 27 – (1996-07-16)16 July 1996 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) Aix Maurienne
SF 77 Jean-Philippe Dally 27 – (1996-03-08)8 March 1996 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Champagne Basket
Head coach
  • Dejan Prokić
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 25 August 2023


Team for the 2013 FIBA Africa Championship.

Ivory Coast national basketball team roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Age – Date of birth Height Club Ctr.
F 4 Charles Abouo 23 – (1989-11-04)4 November 1989 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) CB Peñas Huesca
G 5 Mouloukou Diabate 26 – (1987-07-21)21 July 1987 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) SLUC Nancy Basket
F 6 Issife Soumahoro 24 – (1988-10-31)31 October 1988 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Strasbourg IG
G 7 Pape-Philippe Amagou 28 – (1985-02-27)27 February 1985 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) Chorale Roanne Basket
G 8 Kinidinnin Konate 32 – (1980-08-23)23 August 1980 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Abidjan Basket Club
C 9 Hervé Lamizana 32 – (1981-01-22)22 January 1981 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in)
F 10 Ismaël N'Diaye 31 – (1982-04-20)20 April 1982 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Basket-club Boncourt
G 11 Mickaël Toti 26 – (1987-04-11)11 April 1987 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) Reims Champagne Basket
C 12 Jonathan Kale 27 – (1985-10-18)18 October 1985 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) CB Coruña
C 13 Louri Zerbo 24 – (1989-04-02)2 April 1989 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) BCM Gravelines
F 14 Guy Edi 24 – (1988-12-26)26 December 1988 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) Gonzaga
F 15 Mohamed Koné 32 – (1981-03-24)24 March 1981 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) Chorale Roanne Basket
Head coach
Legend
  • Club – describes last
    club before the tournament
  • Age – describes age
    on 20 August 2013

Head coaches

Kit

Manufacturer

Peak[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ "FIBA World Ranking Presented by Nike". FIBA. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  2. ^ FIBA National Federations – Cote d'Ivoire, fiba.com. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Team Profile: Côte d'Ivoire – history and pedigree". AfricaBasket. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Team Profile: Côte d'Ivoire – history and pedigree". AfricaBasket. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Côte d'Ivoire secure silver at AfroBasket 2009". FIBA.basketball. 30 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Ivory Coast score historic first World Cup win against Puerto Rico". Courtside1891. 16 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Sensational Côte d'Ivoire trounce Nigeria to revive World Cup hopes". FIBA.basketball. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Côte d'Ivoire qualify dramatically for China 2019". FIBA.basketball. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  9. ^ "China beat Côte d'Ivoire 70-55 in FIBA World Cup opener". Xinhua News. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  10. ^ "Cote d'Ivoire advance to AfroBasket 2021 Final after nail-biting win over Senegal". FIBA.basketball. 5 September 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Tunisia edge Ivory Coast for third FIBA AfroBasket title". PM News. 6 September 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Team Profile: Côte d'Ivoire chasing first title since 1985". FIBA.basketball. 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Ivory Coast schedule for AfroBasket 2025 group phase". Proballers. 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  14. ^ Côte d'Ivoire | 2025 FIBA AfroBasket, FIBA. Retrieved August 2025.
  15. ^ "Mondial basket-ball 2023 : la liste des 12 éléphants sélectionnés dévoilée avec Zouzoua et Souleymane Diabaté". linfodrome.com. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Team roster: Ivory Coast" (PDF). FIBA. 25 August 2023.
  17. ^ Head coaches, fiba.com. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  18. ^ "Basketball-Ivory Coast: the birth of a golden generation?". African News Paper. 30 August 2022. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  19. ^ 2015 FIBA Africa Championship – Cote d'Ivoire, FIBA.com. Retrieved 23 June 2016.

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