Abdullah Yassin Mousa: Youngest ever in WASL taking up the torch

DOHA (Qatar) - Kids grow up so fast these days.

One day, they are just learning how to dribble or even just hold on to a basketball. Next thing you know, they have already played in two FIBA U16 Asian Championships. Blink for another second and now they are raining long-range three-pointers while playing against grown men at the professional level.

"I DON’T FEEL PRESSURE WHEN I PLAY WITH AL RAYYAN. THERE’S NOTHING FOR ME TO WORRY OR THINK ABOUT ON AND OFF THE COURT CAUSE IT'S BASKETBALL AT THE END OF THE DAY!"

At least, that's what it must have felt like for those in the Al Rayyan basketball circle who watched Abdulla Yassin Mousa make his debut in the West Asia Super League (WASL) - Gulf. At just 15 years old and 142 days, Mousa made history as the youngest player ever to play in a WASL game. He was just as elated for making his debut as he was for making it in an Al Rayyan jersey.

"Representing Al Rayyan means a lot to me because I was a part of this family since [Under-7s]!," said the teenager.

The achievement became official at the four-minute mark of the first quarter when Abdulla was substituted into the game. But he was not going to be content with merely logging in. With Al Rayyan's last offensive possession of the quarter, Mousa received a pass beyond the three-point line at the top of the key and let it fly right in front of Marzouq Almuwallad.

Swish.

Not long after in early in the second quarter, Abdulla had another go from downtown. And again:

Swish.

"I came in the game with confidence, so when I took that first shot I was 100 percent sure that it was going in," claimed the youngster.

The oozing confidence is what stands out the most - aside from the shooting prowess. You'd have to be confident to be able to step in and compete at this level at this age. And there's no doubt about where that confidence comes from.

Abdulla wears the number 10 jersey and for those familiar with the history of Al Rayyan basketball, they know what that means. It was the number worn by club legend and Qatar national team legend, Yassin Mousa, who is, of course, Abdulla's father.

"I didn’t get the chance to watch my father play cause I was very young, but one event I remember a lot was his retirement game," said the 15-year-old son.

While Abdulla didn't get to watch much of his father's prime playing days live, there's more than enough evidence for him to relive those moments, especially in the Al Rayyan archives. For nearly 20 years, the elder Yassin made a name for himself as a star forward for the club highlighted by multiple championships and trips to the Finals in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup and also being a key part of arguably Qatar's best runs in several FIBA Asia Cups.

Now retired, he's happy to see his sons take up his legacy.

"I am very proud of him, of course," said Yassin of Abdulla's achievement in WASL-Gulf. "I have been waiting for this moment for the last couple of years to see him and his brother [Hamad, who had recently played at the U16 Asian Championship 2022 and is currently playing at the NBA Global Academy] playing on the highest stage in Asia.

"It was very important to see him getting experience and competing against higher-level players."

Wearing your father's original jersey number and playing in the same club where he has legendary status would generally pile on a lot of pressure for a young up-and-coming talent. However, Abdulla insists that hasn't fazed him.

"I don’t feel pressure when I play with Al Rayyan. There’s nothing for me to worry or think about on and off the court cause it's basketball at the end of the day!"

There's still a long way to go through - both in this WASL-Gulf season and in Abdulla's career. He'll run into obstacles and hurdles along the way. Look no further than his second game of the season where he scored 7 points, but shot only 1-10 from the field. But there are learning curves, as can be highlighted in his 4 assists from that same game.

A certain former club legend, who just also happens to be this youngster's father, agrees that this setting will benefit the growth of the youngster, considering its path to prestige.

"It was a great feeling to see Al Rayyan club getting back again in Asian club competitions. [The FIBA Asia Champions Cup] was my favorite tournament when I was a player when we reached a 7 Finals in the 10 seasons I played," said the senior Yassin, making note that succeeding in WASL-Gulf leads to the WASL Final 8 and then subsequently the FIBA Asia Champions Cup.

In the end, these games are valuable experience points that Abdulla is collecting to level up in the world of basketball. He feels that he'll get a lot of that from playing here with Al Rayyan in WASL-Gulf.

In this regard, like father, like son.

"It is a great experience competing against these ex-NBA players and national team players. I need these kinds of games so I can boost and improve my game," Abdulla said. "Al Rayyan always has a great environment and positive mindset before every game so that helped me lock in and get my mind right."

FIBA