DAKAR (Senegal) - His destiny was, without a doubt, in basketball, having followed his father, a former Senegalese International, to the courts from a young age.
However, Jean-Jacques Boissy, who first tried football up until he was 15, made sure not to live under his father’s shadow, and, at 24, the floor manager has carved a name for himself in African basketball, becoming one of the go-to players as The Lions of Teranga head to the upcoming AfroBasket qualifiers.
The Urunani ace is one of the key players named as Senegal begin their hunt in Window 2 of the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers set to take place in Dakar from 22 to 24 November.
Boissy believes their ranking notwithstanding, Senegal has what it takes to lift the elusive continental trophy as they have a talented group of players. At 24, the guard has featured for the Lions of Teranga on the biggest stages in Africa and that experience should come in handy as they host the Qualifiers.
Talking to FIBA.basketball, Boissy, whose younger brother Georges Boissy led Senegal to bronze in this year's U18 AfroBasket, told FIBA.basketball said: "I think we have the best and most talented players in the continent. We are yet to find the right 12 to get the trophy since the last one decades ago. However, it is just a matter of time now. We are working towards it and hopefully the next AfroBasket title is coming home."
The Burundi's league Most Valuable Player (MVP) started his journey with the national team at the junior ranks, featuring at the 2018 FIBA U18 AfroBasket ( then African Championships) in Bamako, Mali, settling for silver behind the hosts to qualify for the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup in Crete, Greece.
He transitioned to the senior ranks soon after, making his debut for the West African country at the World Cup Qualifiers second round played in Egypt in August 2022, failing to qualify for the 2023 Global competition. A similar fate befell the side in their quest to feature in the Paris Olympics.
"Getting the chance to play in the U18 and U19 competitions gave me the impetus to keep aiming higher. Coach Boniface Ndong scouted me while playing in the Senegalese league for Sibac and gave me a call to join the senior team as an invite at first and then on the provisional squad for the 2021 AfroBasket but I didn't make the final roster. My chance came in Egypt," he narrates.
Lions of Teranga host the second window of 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers, going up against Rwanda, Cameroon, and Gabon, all familiar opponents for Boissy but for the latter.
Asked how the team will handle the two, he says: "Rwanda have invested heavily in basketball and are experiencing tremendous growth, making it an interesting match up. As for Cameroon, we lost to them in the final of Olympics pre-qualifiers last year. It is good to face them again. As for Gabon, I don't know about them much yet, but we will be ready."
The two-time Basketball Africa League (BAL) All-Defensive Team (first team in 2023 and second team in 2024) member with AS Douanes says the opportunity for African ballers to play competitive basketball in their continent is a game changer that has tremendously improved the national teams, this making the AfroBasket more competitive. This even as he looks to advance his career in other top leagues in Europe and America.
FIBA