Ismaël Bako

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Ismaël Bako

| image = Ismaël Bako.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Bako with Leuven in 2017

| position = Center

| height_cm = 208

| weight_kg = 103

| league = VTB United League

| team = BC UNICS

| number = 21

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1995|10|10}}

| birth_place = Leuven, Belgium

| draft_year = 2017

| career_start = 2012

| career_end =

| years1 = 2012–2017

| team1 = Leuven Bears

| years2 = 2017–2019

| team2 = Antwerp Giants

| years3 = 2019–2021

| team3 = ASVEL Villeurbanne

| years4 = 2021–2022

| team4 = Manresa

| years5 = 2022–2023

| team5 = Virtus Bologna

| years6 = 2023–present

| team6 = UNICS Kazan

| highlights = * Pro A champion (2021)

French Cup winner (2021)
Italian Supercup winner (2022)
All-Champions League First Team (2019)
Belgian Cup MVP (2019)
Belgian Cup winner (2019)
Belgian League All-Offensive Team (2019)
Belgian League All-Defensive Team (2019)
Belgian League Young Player of the Year (2017)

}}

Ismaël Bako (born 10 October 1995) is a Belgian professional basketball player for UNICS Kazan of the Russian VTB United League. Standing at {{height|cm=208}}, he plays at the center position. He started his career in 2012 with Leuven Bears and transferred to Antwerp Giants in April 2017.

Professional career

=Leuven=

Bako started his career with Leuven Bears in the Pro Basketball League, making his debut in 2012. He was named the BLB Young Player of the Year of the 2016–17 season, after averaging 8.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.{{cite web|url=http://euromillionsbasketball.be/article?id=5307|title=Ismaël Bako Young Player of the Year|publisher=Euromillionsbasketball.be |date=2017-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728221607/http://euromillionsbasketball.be/article?id=5307 |archive-date=2018-07-28 |access-date=2017-05-15}}

=Antwerp=

In April 2017, he signed with Antwerp Giants.{{cite web|url=https://www.gva.be/cnt/blpce_02854723/ismael-bako-naar-port-of-antwerp-giants|title=Ismaël Bako naar Port of Antwerp Giants|work=Gazet van Antwerpen|access-date=22 March 2019|language=nl}} In the 2018–19 season, Bako won the Belgian Basketball Cup with the Giants. He was named the Belgian Cup Most Valuable Player.{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/nl-be/nieuws/other/fysieke-kracht-geeft-doorslag-giants-doorbreken-hegemonie-en-pronken-met-beker/ar-BBUC1gM|title=Fysieke kracht geeft doorslag: Giants doorbreken hegemonie en pronken met beker|last=Vanbuggenhout|first=Kevin|work=www.msn.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322152642/https://www.msn.com/nl-be/nieuws/other/fysieke-kracht-geeft-doorslag-giants-doorbreken-hegemonie-en-pronken-met-beker/ar-BBUC1gM|archive-date=22 March 2019|access-date=22 March 2019|language=nl}} In the same season, the team reached the Final Four of the Basketball Champions League. Antwerp finished in third place after defeating Brose Bamberg in the third place game. Bako was named to the Basketball Champions League Star Lineup.

=ASVEL=

On 3 July 2019, Bako signed a two-year contract with LDLC ASVEL of the French LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague.{{cite web|url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/euroleague/902309/asvel-acquires-ismael-bako/|title=ASVEL acquires Ismael Bako|date=3 July 2019|work=Eurohoops|access-date=16 July 2019}} He averaged 3.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. On 12 June 2020 he re-signed with the team for an additional season.{{cite web |title=LDLC Asvel extends Ismael Bako |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/ldlc-asvel-extends-ismael-bako/ |website=Sportando |access-date=June 12, 2020 |date=June 12, 2020}} During the 2020-21 season Bako averaged 5.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He parted ways with the team on 11 July 2021.{{cite web |title=Norris Cole, Ismael Bako officially leaves Asvel |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/norris-cole-ismael-bako-officially-leaves-asvel/ |website=Sportando |access-date=11 July 2021 |date=11 July 2021}}

=Baxi Manresa=

On 24 July 2021 Bako signed a two-year deal with Baxi Manresa of the Spanish Liga ACB.{{cite web |title=Ismael Bako officially signs with Baxi Manresa |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/ismael-bako-officially-signs-with-baxi-manresa/ |website=Sportando |access-date=July 24, 2021 |date=July 24, 2021}} On 5 September 2021 he won the Catalan League and won the MVP of the competition.

= Virtus Bologna =

On 13 July 2022 Bako signed with Virtus Bologna of the Lega Basket Serie A and the EuroLeague.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-13 |title=Ismaël Bako è un nuovo giocatore di Virtus Segafredo Bologna! |url=https://www.virtus.it/news/ismael-bako-e-un-nuovo-giocatore-di-virtus-segafredo-bologna/ |access-date=2022-07-14 |language=it-IT}} On 29 September 2022, after having ousted Olimpia Milano in the semifinals, Virtus won its third Supercup, defeating 72–69 Banco di Sardegna Sassari and achieving a back-to-back, following the 2021 trophy.{{cite web |title=Supercoppa, trionfa la Virtus Bologna! Canestro decisivo di Mickey, Sassari cede 72-69|url=https://www.gazzetta.it/Basket/SerieA/29-09-2022/basket-supercoppa-trionfa-virtus-bologna-sassari-ko-72-69-450409276762.shtml|website=Gazzetta dello Sport|date=29 September 2022|language=it}} However, despite good premises Virtus ended the EuroLeague season at the 14th place, thus it did not qualify for the playoffs.[https://bolognabasket.org/virtus-il-punto-a-fine-eurolega/ Virtus, il punto a fine EuroLega]. BolognaBasket Moreover, the team was defeated in the Italian Basketball Cup final by Brescia. In June, after having ousted 3–0 both Brindisi and Tortona, Virtus was defeated 4–3 by Olimpia Milan in the national finals, following a series which was widely regarded among the best in the latest years of Italian basketball.[https://video.repubblica.it/sport/basket-milano-batte-bologna-nella-decisiva-gara-7-e-vince-il-suo-30esimo-scudetto-gli-highlights/447915/448883 Basket, Milano batte Bologna nella decisiva gara 7 e vince il suo 30esimo scudetto. Gli highlights]. la Repubblica[https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2023/06/basket-serie-a-playoff-olimpia-milano-batte-virtus-bologna-in-gara-7-e-vince-lo-scudetto-al-forum-assago-c279332e-c2fa-46be-a199-3ff966b78a99.html Basket, Milano batte Bologna 67-55 nella finalissima e si conferma campione per la trentesima volta]. Rai News On 25 August 2023 Bako parted ways with the Italian powerhouse.

National team career

Bako has been a member of the Belgian national basketball team since 2016. At 21, Bako was the youngest member of the squad that played at EuroBasket 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.basketbal.vlaanderen/blog-meer/detail/dit-zijn-onze-12-lions-voor-eurobasket-2017|title=Dit zijn onze 12 Lions voor Eurobasket 2017 - detail - Basketbal Vlaanderen|website=basketbal.vlaanderen|access-date=2017-09-06|language=nl}}

Career statistics

=EuroLeague=

| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| ASVEL

| 24 || 2 || 11.0 || .508 || {{sort|-|—}} || .818 || 2.1 || .3 || .3 || 1.0 || 3.8 || 4.8

| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21

| 27 || 3 || 14.4 || .600 || {{sort|-|—}} || .878 || 3.6 || .4 || .5 || .8 || 5.6 || 7.4

| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23

| style="text-align:left;"| Bologna

| 34 || 0 || 15.5 || .670 || {{sort|-|—}} || .877 || 2.6 || .4 || .5 || .6 || 6.1 || 6.9

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career

| 85 || 5 || 13.9 || .606 || {{sort|-|—}} || .865 || 2.8 || .4 || .5 || .8 || 5.3 || 6.5

Personal life

Bako was born in Belgium to a Beninese father and Belgian mother.{{Cite web|url=https://www.quotidienlematin.net/article/contenu.php?id=3109|title=En vacances dans son pays d’origine Ismaël Bako partage avec les médias ses projets pour le Bénin|website=quotidien le matin}}