#23 Diaba Konate
Year: Junior
Position: Point Guard
Height: 5-7
Hometown: Paris, France
Previous School: Idaho State
Major: Sociology
 
Diaba Konate is a junior transfer out of Idaho State where she was a two-time All-Big Sky selection. She led the Bengals to back-to-back conference championships and a trip to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. A native of Paris, France, Diaba has also represented her country on the international stage. She was a member of the 3x3 U23 French National Team that won gold at the 2019 World Beach Games, and also won silver in the 3-on-3 competition at the FIBA U18 World Cup and at the Youth Olympic Games. Get to know more about Diaba as she recently sat down for a Q&A ahead of the season opener on Nov. 8.
 

How did you get started playing basketball?
I always loved sports. Every Wednesday at my primary school we played different sports and one of my teachers saw something in me so she told me I should get into a club but I wasn't sure what she was talking about because I had no idea and was just enjoying sport. Then one day, there was someone who came to watch me and told my coach she wanted to recruit me. So when I was 11 years old, we went through the whole process and I ended up going to a bigger place where I could do school and sport at the same time. They actually put me in basketball so that is where it all started.
 
What was it about basketball that made you want to pursue it?
I just loved it right away. I was very competitive; I would play with boys and I loved how hard they would play. I also loved playing as a team and cheering for my friends.
 
What has been your most memorable basketball moment so far?
Back-to-back championships at Idaho State and going to the NCAA Tournament. It was such a unique experience and I want to do it again. I enjoyed so much playing against (Rhyne) Howard of Kentucky. We were just pumped and proud of what we had done throughout the year. We bonded a lot as a team and it was just an amazing year overall.
 
How important has your family been in getting you to this point in your career?
I needed them and would not have made it without them. I am very family-oriented. I have eight siblings and we are very close to one another. They help me so much; when I am having a hard time, they are the ones I call first. Each one of them brings something different.
 
Do you have any interesting hobbies off the court?
I like reading. I got into it about three years ago as I was kind of looking for my identity. I was very hard on myself and I needed something to be more positive and I found it in books.
 
Why UCI?
Three main reasons. The first one is the community. Lately, I got more into my faith so I needed an environment where I could practice it and where I could be around people who would uplift me and I could uplift them back. So it was the overall community, but more particularly the Muslim community. The second thing is the program. I know they had done so well the last few years. They have a great basketball program and a great school program so that played a big role. And third is the coaches. I really had a crush on them. During my call with them in the transfer portal, I talked to Coach T, Cece and Coach Y, and we just clicked right away. We talked about everything. Some people try to sell you their program but I didn't feel this when we had our conversations. They were just honest with me and told me their plans and what they expected from me.
 
What was your experience like representing your country and winning gold at the 3x3 World Beach Games?
It was so cool. We went to Qatar and it was really hot but I was with great coaches and teammates. It was also my first gold medal and I actually played against Mali, which is where my parents are from so it was just a great experience. I enjoyed the moment so much.