Charles ABOUO
#4

Charles-Noé Abouo is yet to make a name for himself in the professional game since he has only just turned 21 and is patiently learning the game in the NCAA.

Nevertheless, he has already proven that he has a knack for basketball, and he certainly has a winning mentality.

At the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship, he was not necessarily on the front row, mostly because of his inexperience but when Coach Dessarzin called his number, he answered.

His 15 points and 6 rebounds explosion against Egypt confirmed there was room for him to shine at this level.

Then, in the final game, against the might of Angola, Abouo gave his team a serious boost off the bench with 9 points in 12 minutes to keep his team alive.

A native of Cocody in the Eastern part of Abidjan, he  learnt basketball in the USA where he settled at the age of seven.

After successful years in high-school both in Utah and in New Hampshire, where he broke most scoring records, he became a full-time member of the Brigham Young University basketball team.

His game has still to be fully polished and his statistics have not yet caught the attention of the NBA scouts (4.6ppg in his sophomore year), but this athletic forward, who can be described as a hard worker and a restless student of the game, can already do a lot of things at both ends of the court.

“If I had to describe my game, I would say versatility”, he says.

With the body frame of a small forward and the foot work of a guard, Abouo can fill in the blanks for Ivory Coast.

The 2010 FIBA World Championship is the ideal opportunity for him to become a little more than a just a prospect.