My name is Mohamed Doumbya.
I was born in Dakar.
I started sports very early, around 7 or 8 years old. But at the beginning, it wasn’t basketball, it was football. That’s what I was focused on. I started playing basketball around 2012. Little by little, I started to enjoy it, and today it has made me the player I am.
I come from a family of athletes, especially basketball players. Big love to my uncle, he’s the one who really gave me that love for the game.
At some point, I had to make a choice. It wasn’t easy to switch from football to basketball, but in the training centers where I was playing, I started to really like it. After one or two months, I already knew this was the sport I wanted to continue.
I remember my first dunk very well. It was in 2013, during a friendly game. There were maybe three or four minutes left in the game. I got the ball, went to the basket, and made my first dunk.
In my training center, nobody thought I could do that. It was like a challenge. I had trained for one or two months just for that moment. When I did it in the game, it meant a lot to me.
Very early, I set a goal for myself: to play abroad. To step out of my comfort zone, discover something new, and see a different level. It’s never easy because you arrive in a country where you don’t really know people or the environment. But I like challenges.
My time at Urunani in Burundi really stayed with me.
It wasn’t the biggest experience of my career, but I learned a lot. The style of play is different, the atmosphere too, especially the fans.
That opportunity came through Jean-Jacques. He was playing there and connected me with the manager. After finishing my season in Senegal, I told myself, why not?
While I was in Burundi, I was contacted to come to Rwanda, but it wasn’t decided yet.
After the holidays, I spoke with my agent. He suggested a few teams, and I chose UGB.
The coach already knew me before I arrived.
Honestly, I don’t regret it.
When I arrived in Kigali, everything felt new. But I liked the atmosphere right away. It’s a bit like what you see on TV. I feel comfortable here. Not like home in Senegal, but still comfortable. And for an athlete, that matters a lot.
The league is good.
There are very strong players, a lot of internationals. Sometimes you’re playing against Americans or Europeans.
Wearing the Senegal national team jersey is a big pride. It’s something I will never forget.
It brings out my competitive side, but it also helped me grow as a person. When I was younger, I was more reserved. Basketball helped me open up, connect with people, and understand different personalities.
Basketball taught me many things.
Stepping out of your comfort zone helps you grow. You discover new players, new ways of playing, different mentalities.
Basketball is not just one league. It’s everywhere. And it’s an experience I recommend to every young Senegalese player.
What do I want to leave behind? First, that people remember my name.
But more importantly, that young players understand that even if you start late, you can still succeed in basketball. It’s all about confidence.