Alioune Badara Ba '21 Recruiting Profile

I am a scholar and an athlete who lives by the motto is “consistency is key”. On weekdays I wake up at 5:50 to be at the gym when it opens at 6:15. Each morning, after doing 5 minutes of jump rope and a dynamic workout, I work on fundamentals such as finishing, shooting and ballhandling. After the training, I play one-on-one against my teammate. We are always there together, making each other better. For the past year, I begin every school day improving fundamentals. I am consistent. I know that no matter what happens during the day, I can sleep in peace knowing that I have gotten better at basketball and thus closer to achieving my goals. My goal is to contribute at the college level where I will continue to become the best student and basketball player I can be.

I started playing basketball in 2017 at a local club in France, and fell in love with the game. Because of my late start I know the only way I can achieve my goals is to compensate for lack of experience with consistent hard work. My hard work paid off as I improved enough to go from bench player to one of the most impactful Under-17 players in the region outside of Paris where I played. I am now pursuing my goals as a Varsity Player at Williston Northampton School in Massachusetts. It is the first time I have ever attended school in the United States. I listen intently and learn from my coaches, sharpening my focus on winning. I can contribute to any basketball team through hard work, leadership by example and my rapidly improving defensive and offensive skillset.

My work ethic translates to the classroom where I contribute, try to be as helpful as I can, and maintain straight A’s. My academic consistency was recognized through my selection as a Williston 1841 Merit Scholar, a prestigious honor given to only 7 of 900 candidates per year. I have earned high honors for each trimester and was selected as the History/Global Studies Student of the Trimester. I bring intensity and a love of learning to my scholarship and on the basketball court. I am confident that as a result of my consistent hard work, I will be a championship player. I am looking forward to sharing my commitment to excellence with my future college.