"The Philippines saw me grow."
The plan for Ange Kouame has always been to graduate from Ateneo de Manila University. Along the way, basketball became his family. Now, he is intent on giving back what the country has provided for him with Gilas Pilipinas.
"I just made a promise to myself—this is an opportunity people gave you. I don't want to let the national team down," Kouame told One Sports' Carlo Pamintuan.
Gilas Pilipinas is in Lithuania, focused on preparing for the FIBA World Cup, which will be held next month in the Philippines.
Kouame, who came from the Ivory Coast, was naturalized in 2021 and played for the national team in the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers and the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers.
Now there are three of them—along with Justin Brownlee and Jordan Clarkson—vying for the solo naturalized player spot in the FIBA World Cup.
"Despite the fact that I know I won't be in the lineup, I just come here to be better each day," the 6-foot-11 center admitted.
"If the opportunity is there, I would take it. If not, I'm okay with it."
Basketball has become an integral part of Kouame. It has become family. He especially felt this studying in Ateneo during Christmas, when every student would go spend the holiday with loved ones.
"You don't have anyone to spend the day with," Kouame said. It was his basketball family who helped him feel welcome.
"That was actually a good help, especially mentally, having something there to support you when you're down and when your family is a thousand miles away."
It was actually Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan who asked him about naturalization.
"I completely accepted it," Kouame shared. "The Philippines saw me grow. It was there for me in my younger stage, made me who I am today."
Now, he's just happy to serve whenever he's called up.
"It's worth it. I'm really happy, how far I've gone," Kouame shared.
"I know I'm always gonna be proud of my decision."
(With reports from Carlo Pamintuan, One Sports)