Badara Ndiaye facts for kids

Badara Ndiaye (born 31 March 1986 in Kaolack) is a talented artist and former basketball player. He was born in Senegal and is now an American and French citizen. Badara is known for his work as a visual artist, journalist, fashion designer, photographer, filmmaker, and model. He also played NCAA Division I basketball in college.

About Badara Ndiaye's Life

Badara Ndiaye was born on March 31, 1986, in Kaolack, Senegal. His parents are Abdallah Ndiaye and Ndeye Ndiaye. His father is a well-known actor and a supporter of women's rights. His mother is also an activist for women's rights. Badara has two brothers.

Growing up, he enjoyed many sports, including volleyball, soccer, basketball, and gymnastics. He only started playing basketball when he was 17 years old. Badara describes himself as a quiet person when he was younger. However, he was an active member of his school's culture club.

Badara was offered a chance to play college basketball in the United States. He learned to speak English after moving to the U.S. At university, he studied interesting subjects like sociology, anthropology, and psychology. He has even worked with the United Nations (UN). The Senegalese ambassador to France, El Hadj Maguette Seye, recognized him as a cultural ambassador for Senegal.

Badara Ndiaye cares deeply about human rights for everyone. He uses his art and voice to support African people and those of African heritage around the world. He works to improve how different groups of people are shown and treated.

Today, Badara mainly lives in Paris, France. He also has a home in Miami Beach, Florida. He travels a lot for his work. He is fluent in English, French, and Spanish. He also knows some Hebrew and a few languages of Senegal.

Badara Ndiaye's Basketball Journey

Badara Ndiaye went to high school at Fontiyon Tabl in Saint-Louis, Senegal. There, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP). He averaged 17 points and 6 rebounds per game. He helped his team win a regional championship in 2003.

An NBA program discovered him, and he attended a special camp in South Africa. This camp selected the five best players from many countries.

In 2005, Badara moved to the United States to play basketball at Southeastern Community College (SECC). He played there from 2005 to 2007. As a freshman, he averaged 6 points and 4 rebounds per game. In his second year, he averaged about 1.5 blocks per game. He was seen as a top basketball prospect.

During college, Badara grew about 3 inches taller, reaching 6 feet 11 inches. He also gained about 25 pounds of muscle.

Badara then transferred to Florida International University (FIU) in University Park. He played for the Panthers from 2007 to 2009. He was a versatile player who could play different positions. At SECC, he played power forward. At FIU, he played center.

While playing for the Panthers, Badara was second on his team in blocked shots. He was also very good at rebounding. He had solid statistics for points, steals, and assists. Sadly, he suffered a knee injury during his senior year. This injury required surgery and ended his basketball career. After his basketball career ended, he started a new path as a creative producer. This happened after fashion photographer Prescott McDonald discovered him.