Souley Boum, Murcia guard, spoke to Basketball Sphere about his fantastic season playing for Vienna, his big transfer to Liga Endesa, and the prejudices American players face when coming to Europe for the first time.
Souley Boum arrived at Vienna – a team that made its ABA League debut last season – under the radar and without much fanfare, but he quickly demonstrated his immense talent. It took him a few games to adjust to his new environment, and then came the explosion. Great performance after great performance, highlighted by two games against Crvena Zvezda where he scored 22 and 21 points, as well as an incredible display against Borac, which he finished with 39 points – the third-best individual performance in the entire competition last season.
In the offseason, the Guinea national team guard made the move to Murcia, giving him the opportunity next season to play not only in Liga Endesa, but also in the FIBA Champions League. However, before that, the offseason needs to be done right so that the transition period after moving to the strongest European league goes as smoothly as possible.
“It’s kind of different because, you know, you have team practices, games, and travel. But throughout the offseason, I try to lift 3, 4, or 5 times a week and get in the gym five times a week,” Souley Boum started for Basketball Sphere, further explaining his routine:
“Playing in Europe, sometimes you might be with teams that have more rebounders or teams that have fewer rebounders, so it can vary. But this season – and before in Poland as well – I try to get on the court before practice. At least 30 minutes before, just exercising, handling the ball, activating the body, and then making sure I stay after practice every time to get my work in.
It doesn’t have to be long – 15, 20, 30 minutes staying after practice, getting your shots up, especially the shots you get in games. I feel like that’s very important, and that’s what I try to do every time I have practice. If I didn’t, it was probably because I had to take care of my body or something else. But pretty much every day after practice, for sure.”
The 27-year-old completely shone this season. The trigger was the game against Bosna, which he finished without scoring a point, but with a clear idea: this can never happen again. Two rounds later, a scoring explosion against Crvena Zvezda followed, after which he never looked back.
“Mentally, I knew that I wanted to have a great season. After the Bosna game, I was like: ‘This wasn’t my day.” But I just stuck with it. Crvena Zvezda is a big team, a EuroLeague club, and in a big game like that, I wanted to show what I can do, improve, and prove that I belong. I stayed consistent with my work, made sure I got my reps in, and stayed mentally and physically ready. I kept that same mindset for the rest of the season. I just want to be at my absolute best.”
The environment you grow up in can contribute greatly to the development of your mindset. What he showed in the ABA League is a testament to that, even though he reached these heights the hard way. It is a fine line from undesirable to undeniable, and Souley Boum is a prime example of that.
“This comes from where I grew up – being from Oakland. I feel like I’ve pretty much always had that mindset and game style since I was a kid: middle school, high school, college, and now in the pros. Anytime I step on the court, I feel like I belong. I feel like I’m one of the best players out there, and I want to prove myself. That’s just my playstyle.
It’s a testament to all the work and my mindset. Like I mentioned, it was like that for me in high school too. I was pretty good around my area, my neighborhood, and my city, but people didn’t really pay attention or give me the flowers I deserved.
I just kept working, eventually got one scholarship, and worked my way up. I stay true to my craft. I know in my head what I can be and how good I can become. Other people might not see it right away, but it’s just about getting better, staying in the moment, and not worrying about anything else. That’s what I’m doing now.
I’m not even where I want to be yet, but it’s a process. I’ve done it multiple times. I just find a way to keep getting better, regardless of whether I play well, something goes wrong, or somebody says something negative about me. I just try to stay true to myself, work hard, and believe in myself. Good things will come as long as you stick with it.”
After playing for San Francisco, UTEP, and Xavier, the time came for the NBA draft, but then came another obstacle as he wasn’t selected. He got a chance with the Grand Rapids Gold, the NBA G League affiliate of the Denver Nuggets, and after a season spent in the developmental league, he decided to continue his career in Europe, more precisely in Poland, where he played for Dabrowa Gornicza.
“To be honest, after my last game in the G League, I didn’t think I was going to go to Poland. I didn’t think I was going overseas at all. I thought I was going to give the G League another shot because the second half of my season went much better once I got the opportunity to play, get minutes, and became productive. However, a family situation altered my timeline and led me overseas earlier than I expected. I decided to head to Europe, took a deal there, switched agents late, and ended up in Poland.”
After seasons in Poland, France, and Austria, it was time for a transfer to Liga Endesa, where Souley Boum will play next year for Murcia, with whom he will also play in the FIBA Champions League.
“Like I said, throughout my journey, I never expect anything specific. I just had a feeling I was going to move to a bigger club or a stronger league, but I didn’t specifically know it would be ACB or Murcia. I was focused on finishing my season as strong as possible, trusting that whatever was meant for me would come. Towards the end of the season, Murcia called. It felt like a great deal and a strong opportunity, so I took it. I felt in my heart I was moving up, even if I didn’t know which exact club it would be.”
The next question presented itself – does he see himself in the EuroLeague in the coming years?
“Now that I’m in Europe, I can honestly see myself reaching that level. I’ve played against several EuroLeague teams like Asvel, Monaco, and Crvena Zvezda. Watching them, I know I can eventually play at that level and hold my own. I want to get there before all is said and done. I just want to be the best version of myself – whatever that looks like.”
Souley Boum’s teammate from the Guinea national team, Alpha Diallo, made a huge leap in his career this summer. After establishing himself as one of the best two-way players in the EuroLeague, the 29-year-old forward earned a contract with the Denver Nuggets.
“Alpha is like a big brother to me. We were just together in Guinea and Angola for national team games, and I went to his camp. We talked, and he told me: ‘Just lock in and keep doing what you’re doing.’ Seeing him become one of the top EuroLeague players after an unexpected journey is inspiring.
I know he can play in the NBA. There are plenty of guys in the NBA doing the exact same things Alpha does—defending at a high level, cutting, being a great teammate, and scoring aggressively. He knows he has NBA quality too. His path was just unique coming out of college during COVID, so he seized his opportunity in Europe, and everything unfolded from there.
Looking at him as a big brother and teammate inspires me. I try to take pieces of his journey and his work ethic and apply them to my own career.”
Finally, we touched upon whether he would change anything in his career if he could. However, he firmly believes that everything he has done so far has prepared him for the next step.
“In basketball, I wouldn’t change anything. My success in high school and college got me to this point. I feel blessed to be in this position because I know many people didn’t expect me to make it this far or play professionally this long. In my journey, everything happens for a reason. It’s far from finished, and I’m just focused on keeping my story going”, Souley Boum concluded for Basketball Sphere.
