Momo Faye
| No. 11 – Pallacanestro Reggiana | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | LBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 5 February 2005 Dakar, Senegal |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 223 lb (101 kg) |
| Career information | |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023–present | Pallacanestro Reggiana |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Mouhamed "Momo" Faye (born 5 February 2005) is a Senegalese professional basketball player for Pallacanestro Reggiana of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). Born in Senegal, he moved to Italy and joined Reggiana at age 16, where he made his debut for the first-team in the 2023–24 season.
Early life
Faye was born in Dakar, Senegal on 5 February 2005.[1][2][3] He is one of three children, and has a brother and a sister.[2] Faye grew up playing football in Senegal, often with his brother.[2] Nearby the football field he played at was a basketball court, and after trying it out, he began training in the sport in 2018.[2] He became a standout player in the area and in 2021, when he was age 16, he was noticed by Andrea Menozzi, a scout working for Pallacanestro Reggiana in Italy.[4] He later left Senegal aged 16 to join Reggiana.[2]
Professional career
Faye impressed for the youth team of Reggiana in the 2022–23 season.[4] He was then promoted to the main team during the 2023–24 season at 18 years old.[5] He appeared in a total of 37 games for Reggiana with an average of 18 minutes per game, totaling 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.[1][6] After the season, he was given an award as the best player under the age of 22 in the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).[5] After the season, he initially entered his name in for the 2024 NBA draft, but he later withdrew from the draft on 15 June 2024, opting to return to Reggiana for the 2024–25 season.[7][8] At the start of the 2024–25 season, Faye played for his club in the Basketball Champions League (BCL), where he became the youngest player in BCL history to have 15 points, five rebounds and five blocks in a game.[9]
Faye has been considered a potential prospect for the 2025 NBA draft.[10]
International career
Faye competed for the Next Generation Team at the 2022–23 Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament.[11] He averaged 19.8 points there which included one game with 33 points.[1][11]
References
- ^ a b c "Mouhamed Faye". RealGM.
- ^ a b c d e Gallo, Gabriele (25 October 2023). ""Amavo il calcio, ho scoperto il basket per caso"" ["I loved football, I discovered basketball by chance"]. il Resto del Carlino (in Italian).
- ^ Marchese, Domenico (16 February 2024). "Basket, Momo Faye il nome nuovo di Reggio Emilia: "Una scommessa vinta". E dal 2025 giocherà da italiano" [Basketball, Momo Faye the new name of Reggio Emilia: "A successful gamble". And from 2025 he will play as an Italian]. la Repubblica (in Italian).
- ^ a b Gallo, Gabriele (7 September 2022). "Faye, un diamante grezzo pescato in Senegal" [Faye, a rough diamond fished in Senegal]. il Resto del Carlino (in Italian).
- ^ a b "Momo Faye, che impatto!. Eletto miglior under 22 della A" [Momo Faye, what an impact!. Elected best under 22 of the A]. il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). 16 May 2024.
- ^ Bernucca, Andrew (October 22, 2024). "Is Mouhamed Faye the Best International Center Prospect in the 2025 Class?". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ Pioppi, Franceso (15 June 2024). "No NBA for Faye. Reggio will enjoy it again". Quotidiano.net.
- ^ Arati, Adriano (16 June 2024). "Momo Faye si ritira oggi dal Draft Nba" [Momo Faye Withdraws From NBA Draft Today]. Gazzetta di Reggio (in Italian).
- ^ "BCL Fantasy Tips: All eyes on Reggiana's 19-year-old wunderkind". Basketball Champions League. 14 October 2024.
- ^ Pioppi, Francesco (24 October 2024). "Faye runs fast towards NBA: "It's become a concrete goal"". Quotidiano.net.
- ^ a b "Pallacanestro Reggiana: in Europa brilla il talento di Momo Faye" [Pallacanestro Reggiana: Momo Faye's talent shines in Europe]. Reggionline.com (in Italian). 22 May 2023.