Issa Konare

Issa Konare (born January 25, 1980) is a Senegalese professional basketball player currently with the Summerside Storm of the National Basketball League of Canada. A 6'8" (2.03 m) and 230 lb (104 kg) power forward, he was formerly of Niigata Albirex of the BJ League in Japan, Kouvot Kouvola of the Finnish League, KFUM Jämtland Basket of the Basketligan Swedish League, as well as Aix-Maurienne Savoie Basket of the ProB League in France and the Vermont Frost Heaves of the American Basketball Association (ABA). He is also a regular with the Senegal National Basketball Team, appearing in all of the FIBA Africa Championships, including 2003, 2005 as well as at the 2007 event.

Early year

Konare was born in Dakar, and spent his formative years playing soccer before he was urged to play basketball by his stepmother at age 17.

College career

In 2001 he was signed by the University of South Carolina in the U.S. but ultimately it did not work out. He eventually found a home, and his future wife, at High Point University in High Point, North Carolina.