Bandja Sy
{{Short description|Basketball player in France}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Bandja Sy
| image = Bandja Sy 5 Paris Basketball Euroleague 20250325 (1).jpg
| caption = Sy with Paris Basketball in 2025
| width =
| position = Power forward / center
| height_m = 2.05
| weight_lb = 220
| league = LNB Élite
EuroLeague
| team = Paris Basketball
| number = 5
| nationality = Malian / French
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|7|30}}
| birth_place = Paris, France
| high_school = Stoneridge Preparatory School
(Simi Valley, California)
| college = New Mexico State (2009–2013)
| draft_year = 2013
| career_start = 2013
| career_end =
| years1 = 2013–2014
| team1 = Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez
| years2 = 2014–2016
| team2 = SLUC Nancy
| years4 = 2016–2017
| team4 = ASVEL
| years5 = 2017–2018
| team5 = AEK Athens
| years6 = 2018–2019
| team6 = Partizan
| years7 = 2019–2021
| team7 = Andorra
| years8 = 2021–2023
| team8 = Metropolitans 92
| years9 = 2023–present
| team9 = Paris Basketball
| highlights =
- EuroCup champion (2024)
- French Cup winner (2025)
- LNB Leaders Cup winner (2024)
- 2× Serbian Cup winner (2018, 2019)
- First-team All-WAC (2013)
}}
Bandja Sy (born July 30, 1990) is a Malian-French professional basketball player for Paris Basketball of the LNB Élite and the EuroLeague. Standing at {{convert|2.05|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, he plays at the power forward and center positions. After playing four years of college basketball at New Mexico State, Sy entered the 2013 NBA draft, but he was not selected in the draft's two rounds. He is the brother of Amara Sy.
High school career
Sy joined the Aggies after the 2008–09 season at Stoneridge Prep in Simi Valley, California. He averaged 18 points and four rebounds a game. Sy attended the Adidas National Tournament in the summers of 2008 and 2009. At the Douais Tournament, he was named the best wing player and played in the all-star game. In August 2007, Sy was selected to attend Basketball without Borders Europe in Paris, France. The NBA and FIBA conduct the camp as part of the NBA's global basketball development and community outreach program.{{cite web|title=New Mexico State Bio|url=http://nmstatesports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=636|work=nmstatesports.com|accessdate=September 15, 2017}}
College career
=New Mexico State=
Sy played college basketball at New Mexico State University, with the New Mexico State Aggies, from 2009 to 2013. As a freshman, Sy was a role player, appearing in 15 games for the Aggies. He averaged 1.5 points and 0.9 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, Sy played in all 33 games and started in 20 contests for the Aggies, averaging 4.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. In his third season with the Crimson and White, Sy played in all 36 games and started in two contests. He averaged 8.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game and shot 45.5 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from the 3-point line. In his final season with the Aggies, Sy was a first team All-WAC honoree. He led the Aggies in rebounding with 7.3 rebounds per game and was second on the squad in scoring with 11.9 points per game. Sy was the only Aggie to start in all 35 games in 2012–13.
Professional career
After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Sy returned to France and joined Élan Béarnais Pau-Orthez of the LNB Pro A.{{cite news|title=Pau-Orthez signs rookie Bandja Sy|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/france/pro-a/103748/pau-orthez-signs-rookie-bandja-sy.html|accessdate=September 15, 2017|work=sportando.com|date=July 16, 2013}} During his rookie season, Sy averaged 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game. After one season, he left Orthez and joined SLUC Nancy. He stayed with the team for two seasons, playing in 33 games and averaging 8.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
On June 24, 2016, he joined ASVEL Basket of the LNB Pro A and the Champions League.{{cite news|title=ASVEL signs Bandja Sy to a three-year contract|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/france/pro-a/203444/asvel-signs-bandja-sy-to-a-three-year-contract.html|accessdate=September 15, 2017|work=sportando.com|date=July 24, 2016}} With ASVEL, at LNB Pro A, he averaged 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game and 8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game at Champions League, being one of the most spectacular players due to his amazing dunks.
On September 15, 2017, Sy left ASVEL and joined AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League, replacing Cleanthony Early on the team's squad, who left due to disciplinary reasons.{{cite news|title=AEK BC and Bandja Sy agreed contract terms|url=http://www.sdna.gr/news-english/article/375570/aek-bc-and-bandja-sy-agreed-contract-terms|accessdate=September 15, 2017|work=sdna.gr|date=September 15, 2017}} On January 17, 2018, he left AEK and signed with Serbian club Partizan for the rest of the 2017–18 season.{{cite news|title=Bondža Si je novo pojačanje Partizana|url=http://kkpartizan.rs/sr/vest/2223/bondza-si-je-novo-pojacanje-partizana|accessdate=January 17, 2018|work=kkpartizan.rs|date=January 17, 2018|language=Serbian}} On March 2, Sy has signed a new contract until summer 2019.{{cite news|title=Bondža i Partizan - "Si"!|url=http://kkpartizan.rs/sr/vest/2250/bondza-i-partizan-si|accessdate=March 2, 2018|work=kkpartizan.rs|date=March 2, 2018|language=Serbian}}
On August 11, 2021, he signed with Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A.{{Cite web|url=https://www.metropolitans92.com/fr/actualites/2021-08-11/recrutement-bandja-sy-arrive-au-club-des-metropolitans-92|title=Bandja Sy arrive au club des Metropolitans 92!|last=|first=|date=August 11, 2021|website=metropolitans92.com|publisher=|language=fr|access-date=August 11, 2021}}
On August 10, 2023, he signed with Paris Basketball of the LNB Pro A (BBL).{{Cite web|url=https://parisbasketball.paris/2023/08/bandja-sy-rejoint-le-paris-basketball-2/|title=Bandja Sy rejoint le Paris Basketball|last=|first=|date=August 10, 2023|website=parisbasketball.paris|publisher=|language=fr|access-date=August 10, 2023}}
Career statistics
=Domestic Leagues=
==Regular season==
{{Basketball player statistics legend}}
{{Small|Note: Only games in the primary domestic competitions are included. Therefore, games in cup or European competitions are left out.}}
{{Basketball player statistics start}}
|-
| 2017–18
| style="text-align:left;"| A.E.K.
| align=center | GBL
| 18 || 21.7 || .461 || .333 || .667 || 2.0 || 0 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 5.0
|}
=FIBA Champions League=
{{cite web | url=http://www.championsleague.basketball/16-17/ASVEL#%7Ctab=statistics | title=ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne at the Basketball Champions League 2016-2017 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.championsleague.basketball/17-18/team/AEK#%7Ctab=statistics | title=AEK at the Basketball Champions League 2017-2018 }}
{{Basketball Champions League player statistics start}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | 2016–17
| style="text-align:left;" | ASVEL
| 18 || 21.7 || .519 || .348 || .567 || 3.6 || .9 || .8 || .3 || 8.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | 2017–18
| style="text-align:left;" | A.E.K.
| 5 || 7.6 || .375 || .000 || .000 || 1.2 || 0 || .6 || 0 || 1.2
|}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.aba-liga.com/player.php?id=3091 Bandja Sy] at aba-liga.com
- [https://www.basketball-reference.com/euro/players/bandja-sy-1.html Bandja Sy] at basketball-reference.com
- {{Eurobasket.com player|156046}}
{{Paris Basketball current roster}}
{{Paris Basketball 2023–24 Eurocup champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sy, Bandja}}
Category:21st-century French sportsmen
Category:Basketball League of Serbia players
Category:Basketball players from Paris
Category:French expatriate basketball people in Andorra
Category:French expatriate basketball people in Greece
Category:French expatriate basketball people in Serbia
Category:French expatriate basketball people in the United States
Category:French men's basketball players
Category:French sportspeople of Malian descent
Category:Élan Béarnais players
Category:Malian expatriate basketball people in Greece
Category:Malian expatriate basketball people in Serbia
Category:Malian expatriate basketball people in the United States
Category:Malian men's basketball players
Category:Metropolitans 92 players
Category:New Mexico State Aggies men's basketball players