NATURALIZED Filipino Kakou Ange Franck Williams “Ange” Kouame is bracing for a baptism of fire when he plays in the third and last window of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Asia Cup in Pampanga next month.
Kouame, who was born and raised in Ivory Coast city of Abidjan, will be dealing with South Korea’s own naturalized 6-foot-8 center Ricardo Ratliffe in their game during the June 16 opener and Indonesia’s 6-foot-8 big man Lester Prosper on June 18.
The Filipinos will again face the Koreans again on June 20 in the competitions set at the Angeles Foundation University gym.
“I think I’m ready and at the same time I want to learn more. I’m excited and happy with the latest development,” Kouame told BusinessMirror on Thursday.
President Duterte signed Kouame’s naturalization papers on Tuesday but stalled on Spanish football player Bienvenido Marañon, who the Philippine Football League wants to be part of the Azkals program.
Although the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is still waiting for the Fiba’s greenlight on Kouame, the 6-foot-11 former Ateneo Blue Eagle has become one of training director Tab Baldwin’s priorities in the Gilas Pilipinas pool.
But he said he still has a lot to work on.
“I really like to improve my outside game, I am more on defense,” said Kouame, who at 23, will be the youngest naturalized player in the June tournament.
Ratliffe and Prosper are both 32 and they also played as imports in the Philippine Basketball Association for Magnolia (2017) and Terrafirma (2019), respectively.
Kouame was named Rookie of the Year of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in 2018. He vastly helped the Blue Eagles to a perfect 16-0 win-loss record in 2019, when he averaged 12.5 points, 11.79 rebounds and 3.86 blocks.
Kouame said he plans to live in the Philippines for the rest of his life.
“For sure, after my basketball career, I’ll be living here for good,” said the incoming Interdisciplinary Studies senior said. “I am very happy to be part of the national team.”
“My mother Kouassi Juliette is very happy,” he added.
His mother works as a building engineer in Ivory Coast. His father Galou Theodore passed away in 2008.