Kristian Ferrell
SSD is the acronym for the South Sudan men's national basketball team. The team made its major tournament debut at AfroBasket 2021, reaching the round of 16. They then went on to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, which some have called the best basketball tournament of all time. The South Sudan Basketball Federation (SSBF) has had several head coaches, including Scott Catt, Luol Deng, and Royal Ivey.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | South Sudan Men's National Basketball Team |
| Acronym | SSD |
| Federation | South Sudan Basketball Federation (SSBF) |
| Head Coaches | Royal Ivey (Current), Scott Catt, Coach Steele |
| Assistant Coaches | Madut Bol, Luol Deng (Former, also SSBF President) |
| Tournament Debut | AfroBasket 2021 (Reached Round of 16) |
| Notable Results | Defeated Uganda and Cameroon in the preliminary round of AfroBasket 2021, Beat Kenya in the Round of 16 |
| Tournament Performance | Reached Quarterfinals of AfroBasket 2021, Impressed in 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualification with an unbeaten first-round record (6-0) |
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What You'll Learn
South Sudan Men's National Basketball Team
The South Sudan Men's National Basketball Team, also known as SSD, is the national basketball team of South Sudan. The team played its first official international game on 12 March 2017, against Egypt in Cairo, losing by 11 points (87-76). However, just two days later, the team secured their first victory in the group stage against Kenya, winning 68-66.
In the 2017 AfroBasket qualifiers, South Sudan was placed in Zone 5 Group A, alongside Egypt, Kenya, and Rwanda. Following their initial loss to Egypt, the team suffered another defeat at the hands of Rwanda, losing 80-90. Despite these setbacks, South Sudan bounced back and beat Kenya in the Classification game in overtime, with a score of 84-89.
The South Sudan Basketball Federation appointed Scott Catt as the new head coach of the men's national team on 7 November 2017. Madut Bol, the son of the late Manute Bol, was also named as assistant head coach.
The team made history by earning its first World Cup victory with a dominant win over China in Quezon City, Philippines. This triumph qualified them for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, marking their first-ever Olympic appearance. In the lead-up to the Olympics, South Sudan showcased their prowess by playing against a formidable United States team led by four former NBA MVP winners, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Although they lost by a single point (100-101), it was a testament to their competitiveness on the global stage.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, South Sudan made a stunning Olympic debut, defeating Puerto Rico in their first game with a score of 90-79. Despite subsequent losses to the United States and Serbia, the team left its mark on the tournament, gaining millions of new fans worldwide and solidifying its place in basketball history.
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Paris 2024 Olympics
The South Sudanese men's basketball team made their Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Their journey to the Olympics is considered remarkable, as South Sudan is the youngest country in the world and first played an official game just seven years prior to the Paris Olympics. The team's success has been attributed to South Sudanese legend Luol Deng, a two-time NBA All-Star and Team GB Olympian at London 2012. Deng has been President of the South Sudan Basketball Federation since 2019 and has been working to develop the nation's sporting infrastructure and support the next generation of players.
South Sudan's Olympic debut was a victory over Puerto Rico, with a final score of 90-79. The game took place on 28 July at the Pierre Mauroy Arena, with South Sudanese fans donning the arena with their country's flags. The team's victory was considered a significant achievement, as they had previously been disrespected and disregarded in the world of basketball. With a mix of players with NBA experience, native South Sudanese, and naturalized citizens, the team's success has been seen as more than just a sports victory, but a source of national pride for the young nation.
Following their victory over Puerto Rico, South Sudan faced the United States in their next match on 31 July, losing 103-86. This game was considered a close call, with the South Sudanese team putting up a strong fight and only narrowly losing to the United States. The South Sudanese team then went on to play Serbia on 3 August at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium, with Serbia winning the match 96-85.
The South Sudanese team's performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been praised, and they are considered underdogs in the basketball tournament with the potential to win their first Olympic medal. Their journey and success at the Olympics have brought attention to the nation and its rising basketball prowess.
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South Sudan Basketball Federation (SSBF)
The South Sudan Basketball Federation (SSBF) is the national basketball federation of South Sudan, operating the men's team, women's team, and junior teams. The SSBF has been a member of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) since November 14, 2003, and is a founding member of the South Sudanese Olympic Committee. The federation's headquarters are located in Juba, with former NBA All-Star Luol Deng serving as its president since 2019. He also briefly coached the men's national team.
The South Sudan men's national basketball team, nicknamed the Bright Stars, was established in May 2011 and became a FIBA member in December 2013. The team played its first unofficial match in Juba against Uganda's club champions, Power, on July 13, 2011, losing 86-84. In 2016, the Bright Stars participated in an exhibition tournament, the Indigenous Basketball Competition in Vancouver, Canada.
On January 9, 2016, the SSBF announced Jerry Steele as the new head coach of the men's national team for the 2017 AfroBasket qualifiers. In their first official international game on March 12, 2017, South Sudan faced Egypt in Cairo, losing by 11 points (87-76). However, the team quickly bounced back, defeating Kenya two days later by a score of 68-66. South Sudan concluded their group stage with a loss to Rwanda but managed to beat Kenya again in the Classification game, 84-89.
The Bright Stars continued to make strides, participating in the AfroBasket tournament in 2021 and 2025, the 2023 FIBA World Cup, and the 2024 Olympic Games. They made their major tournament debut at AfroBasket 2021, reaching the round of 16. In 2023, the team impressed in the FIBA World Cup qualification games, going unbeaten in the first round (6-0) and qualifying for their first World Cup. At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, South Sudan stunned Puerto Rico in their opening match, securing their first Olympic victory.
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AfroBasket 2021
FIBA AfroBasket 2021 was held in Kigali, Rwanda, from Tuesday, August 24 to Sunday, September 5, 2021. The highly anticipated tournament saw 16 national teams from across Africa compete to be crowned continental champions. The teams were divided into four groups of four each, with the hosts, Rwanda, in Group A, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and Cape Verde. Tunisia, the reigning AfroBasket champions, were in Group B with the Central African Republic, Egypt, and Guinea.
The Group Phase consisted of 24 games played from August 24 to 29. The winners of each group automatically qualified for the Quarter-Finals, while the second- and third-placed teams competed for the remaining four spots. The teams that finished last in their groups were eliminated.
Tunisia, the reigning champions, were seeking to retain the AfroBasket crown, a feat last achieved by Angola, who held the trophy for six consecutive editions from 1999 to 2009. Tunisia boasted an impressive record, having qualified undefeated in six games. They were led by head coach Oualid Zrida and assisted by Rzig Amin, a former AfroBasket champion as a player in 2011.
The tournament featured several players with NBA experience, including Senegal's Gorgui Dieng, who signed with the Atlanta Hawks, and Tunisia's Salah Mejri, who played for the Dallas Mavericks for four seasons. Ishmail Wainright of Uganda also signed with the Toronto Raptors ahead of the tournament.
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2023 FIBA World Cup qualification
SSD, or South Sudan, is a national basketball team. They have competed in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification process.
The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification process determined 30 of the 32 teams that made it to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The Philippines and Japan co-hosted the tournament and automatically qualified. The qualifiers were held across all FIBA regions in six windows over a 15-month period, with 80 national teams competing.
The European pre-qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup began in February 2020 and ended in August 2021, with the draw for the qualifiers taking place on 31 August 2021 in Mies, Switzerland.
Indonesia was also a co-host of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, but unlike the Philippines and Japan, they did not automatically qualify. To secure a spot in the tournament, Indonesia needed to place within the top eight teams in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. Unfortunately, they missed out on qualification after finishing 11th, following a loss to China in the playoffs in July 2022.
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Frequently asked questions
SSD stands for South Sudan, a country in East Africa.
Yes, South Sudan has a men's national basketball team.
As of September 2021, the head coach of the South Sudan basketball team is Royal Ivey, who is also an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets.
Yes, South Sudan made its debut at the AfroBasket 2021 tournament and reached the round of 16. They also participated in the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualification games, where they had an unbeaten record in the first round. The country is set to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
