Sayon Keita
_by_Sandro_Halank%E2%80%93071.jpg) Keita with FC Barcelona in 2025 | |
| No. 41 – FC Barcelona | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Liga ACB EuroLeague |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 1 March 2008 Bamako, Mali |
| Listed height | 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023–present | FC Barcelona |
| 2023–present | →FC Barcelona B |
Sayon Keita (born 1 March 2008), is a Malian basketball player for FC Barcelona of the Spanish Liga ACB and EuroLeague. He also plays for Barcelona's reserve team in Tercera FEB. Standing at 6 ft 11 in (2.12 m), Keita plays in the center position.
Early life and youth career
[edit]Growing up in Bamako, Keita started playing basketball in 2020 after he was noticed in the street by staff of Dreams Academy, a youth sports development program created by the Serge Ibaka Foundation. Keita, who was 12 at the time, was subsequently offered to join the academy due to his impressive height and agility.[1]
After enrolling in the academy, Keita underwent a sports and nutrition program to develop as a player, in preparation for a move to Spain. In February 2022, he travelled to Spain to join the youth ranks of Movistar Estudiantes. He would sign for FC Barcelona in the summer of 2023, playing for FC Barcelona B in Tercera FEB.[1] Keita also took part in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 editions of the Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament with Barcelona.[2]
Professional career
[edit]Keita made his professional debut in March 2025, while still a FC Barcelona B player. He played his first minutes for the FC Barcelona first team in a Liga ACB win against CB Breogán at the Palau Blaugrana.[3][4] Due to several injuries in Barcelona's roster, Keita has also been called up to several EuroLeague games throughout the 2024-25 season.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Duque, Nacho (2 March 2025). "La perla del Barça apadrinada por el madridista Ibaka que ya ha debutado en la Liga Endesa". Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ "Sayon Keita". euroleaguebasketball.net. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
- ^ "La gran tarda de la base al Palau". fcbarcelona.cat (in Catalan). 3 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ Rodellar, Eloy (3 March 2025). "Sayon Keita, tras su cumpleaños, debuta en el Barça: "Todo iba a ir bien"". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ @FCBbasket (25 March 2025). "Sayon Keita és el jove convocat per disputar el Barça - Bayern d'aquest dimarts" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
External links
[edit]- Sayon Keita Profile at ACB.com (in Spanish)
- Sayon Keita Profile at euroleaguebasketball.net