Aya Traore is a newcomer at Lleida

- August 18, 2023

POSTED BY: Eurobasket News

Aya Traore

Ekke CB Lleida (LF2) strengthened their roster with addition of experienced 40-year old Senegalese international forward Aya Traore (188cm-1983, college: Purdue) for season 2023-24. Traore is not a newcomer in Spanish League as she played most recently at Sant Josep. In 30 LF2 games in Spain she recorded 13.0ppg, 7.7rpg and 1.0apg last season. She helped them to make it to the Spanish LF2 Playoffs final. A very spectacular season in her career as she was voted Eurobasket.com All-Spanish LF2 Player of the Year, Forward of the Year and League Player of the Week (3 times).
The previous (2021-22) season she played at Milar Cordoba where in 23 LF2 games she averaged 14.5ppg, 6.3rpg and 1.0spg in that year. Great season indeed as she was selected to Eurobasket.com All-Spanish LF2 Honorable Mention.
Traore also represented Senegal at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) seven years ago. Her stats at that event were 5 games: 7.0ppg, 2.4rpg, FGP: 33.3%, 3PT: 41.2%.
She is quite experienced player. Thanks to Traore's pro career she managed to play on four different continents (Europe, Asia, Africa and of course North America) in eleven different countries. Traore has played previously professionally in France, Iran (Naft-e), Luxembourg (Esch), Poland (Polkowice), Portugal (GDESSA/Barreiro, Quinta dos Lombos and Coimbra), Slovenia, Ukraine (Elizabeth-Basket), Spain (Olesa, Casablanca and Conquero), Nigeria (First Bank), Mozambique (Desportivo Maputo) and WBCBL (Montgomery D.).
Her team won Nigerian League Group A Regular Season in 2015.
She is close to retirement age as a player. It's very possible she may end her playing career at Lleida.
She graduated from Purdue University in 2006 and it will be her 18th (!!!) season as a professional player. She played also for Utah Tech University for one year.
The scouts decsribe her following way: A strong-bodied wing player who has a huge playing experience and can spend time in both 2 and 3 positions.