Senegal’s Khadim Rassoul Mboup, a 6-foot-7 shooting guard from NBA Academy Africa in Senegal, committed to the BYU Cougars in the offseason, after injury diverged his path from birthday twin, Duke’s Khaman Maulach.

Born on the same day as Maluach, who has committed to Duke Blue Devils, their trajectories stayed in tandem at the NBA Academy in Senegal, both playing in the Basketball Africa League’s Elevate programme before being snapped up by the US College system.

Mboup spent three years in the BAL Elevate program, which sees the academy’s top talents in Africa play for professional teams during the course of the season. In this year’s NBA Draft, Ulrich Chomche became the first former Elevate player to make it to the league as he was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies and traded to the Toronto Raptors.

Mboup made his BAL debut in April 2022 against Maluach, while playing for Egypt’s Zamalek – coached by new BYU assistant coach Will Voigt. Maluach, at the time, represented South Sudan’s Cobra Sport at the BAL.

Both impressed for their respective teams as Zamalek won 80-63, but their trajectories since have differed partially due to an injury keeping Mboup out of the 2023 season after he was drafted by Nigeria’s Kwara Falcons.

Mboup told ESPN: “I didn’t play that year because I had a contusion of the thigh. That injury that I had last year impacted my career because I went down a little bit, but everything happens for a reason. I’m trying to get back into the rhythm.

“We went to Angola for a trip and I was playing [for the NBA Academy Africa] against Petro de Luanda. I was driving and the big man was waiting for me and gave me a hit with his knee on my thigh.”

Mboup returned to the BAL with Senegal’s AS Douanes in 2024, with his dream of reaching the NBA driving him on.

“As everybody wants, I want to make it to the league too, but we’re going to take it step by step, trying to go to a good college first,” he said before committing to BYU.

Mboup had limited time on the court for Douanes, but his performances for the NBA Academy Africa in Road to BAL qualifying showed his quality. Mboup averaged 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game across three matches in Johannesburg against Kenya Ports Authority, Burundi’s Urunani and hosts Cape Town Tigers.

Voigt was watching on – undeterred by Mboup’s injury troubles – and took the first chance he got to bring him in now that the moment was right.

Voigt told ESPN: “I’m the one that recruited Khadim to BYU after I was hired. He was great as a young player with Zamalek. Held his own defensively and had a quiet confidence that I liked. We stayed in touch over the years, but neither of us would have ever expected that we would be reunited at BYU.

“Khadim is a strong athlete that plays hard and can defend 1-5. His positional size gives him a chance to become a special player. He has a great attitude and is willing to work hard.”

Mboup knows exactly which NBA player to use as his North Star as he looks to build on his game. “I really like LeBron James, how he plays, his athleticism – he’s more than basketball. I like his style and everything.”

In the 2024 NCAA tournament, BYU were the #6 seed, but lost in the first round to #11 seed Duquesne. Head coach Mark Pope subsequently left for Kentucky and has been replaced by former Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young.

NCAA Basketball airs on ESPN’s channels in Africa (DStv 218 and 219, and Starsat 248).