Amanda Zahui B.


Amanda Zahui Bazoukou, known professionally as Amanda Zahui B., is a Swedish basketball player for the New York Liberty of the Women's National Basketball Association. After playing basketball in Sweden, Bazoukou was drafted by the Tulsa Shock with the 2nd overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft.

Early life

Zahui Bazoukou began playing basketball when she was 10. By 13, Sweden had added her to its 16-and-under national team where she averaged double-doubles in the European Championships.
Her surname is pronounced ZAH-wee B. She shortened Bazoukou to an initial so it would fit on her jersey and be easier for Americans to pronounce.
Her mother is Spanish-French and her father is from the Ivory Coast.

College

In February 2015, Zahui B recorded a career-high 39 points in a game against Iowa Hawkeye basketball team. She also recorded 29 rebounds in that game, the most ever by a player in the Big Ten Conference. The last NBA player to record at least 39 points and 29 rebounds in a game was Moses Malone in October 1979.

Minnesota statistics

Source
YearTeamGPPointsFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2013-14Minnesota3451454.3%33.3%65.4%11.61.40.73.115.1
2014-15Minnesota3362155.5%26.1%78.3%12.91.11.44.118.8
Career67113554.9%26.9%72.8%12.21.31.03.616.9

Professional career

Zahui B was drafted second overall by the Tulsa Shock when she was only a sophomore. She was 21 years old.
In 2016, she was transferred to the Russian Nadezhda Orenburg where she became the highest scoring player.
Her name Zahui caused some stir due to its similarity with an obscene word in Russian. In 2017 the team decided to use the name Bazoukou instead.
Her career WNBA per-game statistics up to the 2019 mid-season all-star break were:
YearTMAgeGGSMPFGFGAFG%3P3PA3P%2P2PA2P%FTFTAFT%ORBDRBTRBASTSTLBLKTOVPFPTS
2015TUL213109.71.33.5.3610.41.2.3330.92.3.3750.50.6.7500.81.62.40.30.20.60.61.93.4
2016NYL2233111.31.73.8.4490.10.5.1181.63.4.4861.51.8.7871.31.93.20.40.30.71.12.15.0
2017NYL232905.30.92.2.4000.10.3.2500.82.0.4210.30.4.7500.30.81.10.30.20.20.51.12.2
2018NYL2429015.93.16.2.5000.72.1.3442.44.1.5800.81.3.6051.31.73.00.70.40.41.62.87.7
2019 NYL25131325.53.47.4.4581.23.4.3642.24.0.5381.51.8.8331.26.27.30.61.02.01.73.39.5
Career1351412.01.94.3.4440.41.2.3271.53.0.4910.91.1.7421.01.92.90.50.30.61.02.15.0