Sports have become a way to bring people from different backgrounds and cultures together. But this international pastime has also become a vessel to become something greater and be a part of something greater than oneself.
Europe and Africa have produced some of the best international basketball talents over the last 30 years. Long Beach State men’s basketball player, Aboubacar Traore, is no exception to this trend. The 6-foot-5 inch sophomore forward is a sociology major and moved from the Ivory Coast to play collegiate basketball at Long Beach State.
He began his North American career in Canada at Northstar Prep where he averaged 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his final season up north.
“It was the first time for me being in cold weather. Where I come from it’s between 80 and 90 degrees all year long,” Traore said.
Having moved to the United States and Southern California just under two years ago, Traore was shocked at how different it was compared to his home country.
“We don’t have much fast food (in the Ivory Coast). The food was something that was completely different to me,” Traore said.
The food culture in the United States came as a huge surprise to Traore, so he gave his knowledge of the food of the Ivory Coast.
“We have garba, that’s like the main food in Africa,” Traore said. “When you say Ivory Coast, and talk about food, that’s one of the main things that people will tell you.”
He continued by adding that it is something that is cheap and available everywhere.
Garba consists of fried tuna pieces, chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers, cassava and semolina, topped with dashes of seasoning and cooking oil.
Traore looks to capitalize on the opportunity of playing basketball in the United States and compared it to what basketball is like in the Ivory Coast.
“Back home, you can’t live off of basketball. It’s almost impossible,” Traore said. “You don’t have people who are working to help you so that you can focus on the main thing, school and basketball. The difference is really clear.”