Amar Sylla (born 1 October 2001) is a Senegalese professional basketball player who plays for Real Betis of the Liga ACB. He also plays for the Senegalese national under-18 team.
![]() Sylla in October 2019 | ||||||||||||||
Coosur Real Betis | ||||||||||||||
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Position | Power forward / Center | |||||||||||||
League | Liga ACB | |||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||
Born | (2001-10-01) 1 October 2001 (age 21) Dakar, Senegal | |||||||||||||
Nationality | Senegalese | |||||||||||||
Listed height | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||
Listed weight | 86 kg (190 lb) | |||||||||||||
Career information | ||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 2021 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||
Playing career | 2017–present | |||||||||||||
Career history | ||||||||||||||
2017–2019 | Real Madrid B | |||||||||||||
2019–2021 | Oostende | |||||||||||||
2021–2022 | Nevėžis | |||||||||||||
2022–present | Real Betis | |||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Sylla was born in Dakar, Senegal.[1][2] Growing up, he preferred football but began playing basketball at the SEED Academy in Thiès because of his height.[3][4] In 2015, after taking part in a basketball camp in Kébémer organized by NBA player Gorgui Dieng, Sylla moved to Spain to pursue the sport.[5]
At Munich qualifiers for the 2019 Adidas Next Generation Tournament, Sylla averaged 14.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and three blocks per game.[6] He led the event in blocked shots and was named to the All-Tournament Team. In four games at the final tournament in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sylla averaged 10.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game. He helped the Real Madrid junior team win the championship.[7][8]
On 15 July 2019, Sylla signed with Filou Oostende of the Belgian Pro Basketball League (PBL) and European competition Basketball Champions League (BCL).[9] He signed a three-year contract with an NBA opt-out clause.[10] He played for the Orlando Magic in the 2021 NBA Summer League.[11]
In August 2021, Sylla signed with Lithuanian club Nevėžis.[12] He averaged 11.1 points and 7.7 rebounds over 30 games in the season. He played in the 2022 NBA Summer League with the Cleveland Cavaliers.[13]
On 4 August 2022, he signed a one-year contract with Real Betis of the Spanish Liga ACB.[11]
Sylla played for the Senegalese national under-18 team at the 2018 FIBA Under-18 African Championship in Bamako, Mali, including in the qualifiers.[5] In seven games, he averaged 13.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, leading Senegal to second place.[14]
In February 2022, Sylla was selected for the Senegal national team to play in the qualifiers of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[15]
Coosur Real Betis current roster | |
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