Abdrahamane Kone Makes Official Debut for FC Barcelona Basketball

Abdrahamane Kone made his official debut for the FC Barcelona senior basketball team at 17 years and 10 months old during a home fixture against Monbus Obradoiro at the Palau Blaugrana, FC Barcelona reported.

The Malian teenager entered the contest in the ninth minute of the opening quarter, logging one minute and five seconds initially before playing the final two minutes of the match. In the game’s closing moments, Kone drew a foul near the rim and converted both free throws.

The appearance marked Kone’s third career match-day squad call-up with the senior side. He previously traveled to Málaga on Nov. 1 and to Athens to face Panathinaikos on Nov. 13, though he did not leave the bench in either fixture.

Kone earned his promotion to the active roster after injuries sidelined Yoan Makoundou, Mo Gibson, Kevin Punter, and Tosan Evbuomwan. Head coach Aleksander Sekulic inserted the junior player early in the first quarter of the weekend matchup.

The forward joined the club during the 2023–24 season and previously participated in the pre-season training camp with the senior squad. Last season with Barça Atlètic in the U22 League, Kone averaged 8.7 points and 5.6 rebotes while shooting 62.8% on two-point attempts.

His youth resume includes titles in the Junior Euroleague and the Catalan Championship, alongside a runner-up finish in both the U22 League and the Spanish Championship. Through six appearances in the current U22 campaign, he raised his averages to 12.7 points, 6.8 rebotes, and 1.2 asistencias per game with a 17.5 efficiency rating.

Kone joins a select group of teenagers who debuted for the senior section before turning 18. Nikola Kusturica holds the record as the youngest at 16 years and 4 months old.

The historical list of youth debutants includes Eric Vila at 16 years and 6 months, Dame Sarr at 16 years, 6 months and 18 days, and Kasparas Jakucionis at 16 years and 10 months. Jordi Soler debuted at 17 years, Raúl Villar at 17 years and 3 months, and both Ferran Martínez and Juan Carlos Navarro at 17 years and 5 months.

On Nov. 15, 2026, Kone added his name to that list, realizing the dream of any young player from the club’s youth academy.

Kone was 17 years and 10 months old when he made his official first-team debut against Monbus Obradoiro.

He traveled with the senior squad to Málaga on Nov. 1 and to Athens to face Panathinaikos on Nov. 13 without entering either game.

Kone completed the match-day squad following injuries to Yoan Makoundou, Mo Gibson, Kevin Punter, and Tosan Evbuomwan.

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Daniel Richardson is the Editor-in-Chief of Archysport, where he leads the editorial team and oversees all published content across nine sport verticals. With over 15 years in sports journalism, Daniel has reported from the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, NFL Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments. He previously served as Senior Sports Editor at Reuters and holds a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Recognized by the Sports Journalists' Association for excellence in reporting, Daniel is a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). His editorial philosophy centers on accuracy, depth, and fair coverage — ensuring every story published on Archysport meets the highest standards of sports journalism.

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