Senior Moulaye Sissoko came a long way to star at UNT, and not just because he’s from Mali

The senior forward rolls over around 3 a.m. and dials the number for his parents’ home in Mali, the country in West Africa where he grew up. Sissoko’s family, which includes six siblings, is in the midst of their midmorning routine then.

Sissoko’s mother is normally working around the house, his father sipping on tea.

“Spending time with my family is something I really value,” Sissoko said. “I call them every day, if I can, to update them on what I’m doing and what’s going on. That’s really helped with me being in another country. You always need your family. I try to maximize that little time I get.”

The approach is one Sissoko has carried to other aspects of what has been a unique basketball journey that will continue this week when UNT plays in the American Athletic Conference tournament at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.

UNT is the No. 2 seed and will be one of eight teams left standing Friday when it faces the winner of a game between Temple and Tulsa in the quarterfinals.

The Mean Green (23-7) have been one of the surprise teams in the AAC this season, thanks in part to Sissoko. He’s UNT’s lone returning starter from a team that advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament a year ago. Not much was expected of UNT after that run — the Mean Green were picked to finish seventh in the AAC’s preseason coaches’ poll this year.

UNT has exceeded expectations in part because of the presence that Sissoko, a 6-foot-9 forward, provides inside.

“Moulaye has been incredible and anchored us,” UNT coach Ross Hodge said. “He’s reaping the benefit of what a lot of people don’t do anymore. He’s been in the same program for three years.”

That approach, in an era when players move from school to school more than ever, has helped Sissoko thrive after finding a home at UNT. He anchors a Mean Green’s defense that ranks third nationally with an average of 59.5 points allowed per game and has enjoyed his best season offensively.

Sissoko exploded for a career-high 27 points in a win over Tulsa late in the season and is averaging 7.6 points per game, more than double his average of 3.0 a year ago. He’s also UNT’s leading rebounder at 6.5 per game.

That jump led the coaches in the AAC to name Sissoko one of the league’s two Most Improved Players on Tuesday, an honor he shared with Florida Atlantic forward Tre Carroll.

“I love playing with Mou,” senior guard Johnathan Massie said. “He pours his heart out every single day. He’s so selfless and cares about everyone. He’s a warrior and a great teammate.”

The journey to UNT

Sissoko stood out right away to Daniel Doyle, an American businessman who has spent years working basketball camps in Africa and helping players there find opportunities in America. Doyle spotted Sissoko on one of his trips.

Sissoko was raw back then in terms of his basketball skills. He picked up the game at 15 after playing soccer in his formative years.

Sissoko once considered basketball a girls’ sport but was convinced to give it a try by his friends. They said his legs were getting too long for soccer.

“One thing I could do when I started playing was run the floor, rebound and play defense,” Sissoko said. “I didn’t have much of a skill set at first with dribbling and the other aspects of the game.”

Sissoko’s potential was evident even then. He made the Mali national team when he was 16 and participated in several camps for elite African players.

“Moulaye exuded a strong presence,” Doyle said. “It was clear that his friends and teammates were drawn to his natural leadership. He has a charismatic vibe. It was evident that everyone enjoyed his company and that he was the life of the party.”

Those attributes led Doyle to talk to his wife, Angela, about the possibility of bringing Sissoko to the U.S. They were living in Arkansas at the time.

Angela Doyle works with churches in the foster care field, while Daniel has connections in the world of high school basketball. The pair have helped a number of children in need over the years.

“Moulaye was a special kid who comes from a phenomenal family,” Angela Doyle said. “His parents and siblings are amazing. His dad was concerned about him coming to the United States. That spoke volumes about what a tight-knit family they are and solidified our decision to bring him over.”

Sissoko’s father studied in England and was familiar with the process of obtaining a visa. Sissoko’s application was denied twice before being approved.

That was the easy part when it came to Sissoko’s transition to playing basketball in the U.S.

Sissoko spoke multiple languages, including Bambara, Minyanka and French, which he studied in school.

He just didn’t speak any English.

“When you go to a new country, you think, ‘Can I get through this?’” Sissoko said. “Can I learn the language? I didn’t know many people and wondered, ‘How’s this going to work?’”

A tough transition

The answer — at least in part — was a stack of cards the Doyles kept around the house with different topics written on them.

“We believed deeply in conversations around the dinner table,” Angela Doyle said. “That was the best way for Moulaye to struggle through learning English with the tiny bit he had.”

One card posed the question, “What would you do if your friend broke the law?”

Those conversations supplemented the time Sissoko spent working with Rosetta Stone, a computer-assisted, language-learning software that uses images, text and sounds to teach words and grammar.

Sissoko also spent time watching movies and television, even when he couldn’t completely understand what was being said.

Little by little he picked up English and got to know the Doyle family, including their three children. Angela Doyle described Sissoko as a hardworking and respectful person.

That drive helped when it came to his development on the court. Sissoko played for a series of high school and AAU teams. Eventually, he joined the Georgia Stars, a team filled with elite players.

Angela Doyle said Sissoko lived a life that mirrored that of a college student once he learned enough English to venture out on his own. He spent time at boarding schools and came home for the holidays.

The Doyles told Sissoko when he arrived in America that a shock clock started. If he wanted to play college basketball, he needed to be ready academically. Sissoko didn’t have a lot of time to learn English and find his footing with his studies but was prepared by the time he finished high school.

“They really helped me a lot, especially when I first got here,” Sissoko said. “They helped me to understand the language and culture.

“They taught me how to be an American and do basic things.”

What always stood out to Sissoko was how well off the people he met were compared to those he grew up with in Mali, which ranks among the 25 poorest countries in the world.

There were times Sissoko and his family would save leftovers from lunch for dinner or save part of dinner for breakfast.

“It was tough,” Sissoko said. “But I was used to it.”

Sissoko’s teammates can tell the experience made an impact. He often lectures them when he thinks they’re wasting food.

“Moulaye talks about Mali and how grateful he is to be here,” said Rondel Walker, one of Sissoko’s closest friends on the team. “When he talks about wasting food, you have to respect that. He hasn’t forgotten where he came from.”

A new home at UNT

The perspective helped Sissoko work through the process of finding a new home at UNT.

Like his journey from Africa, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.

Sissoko emerged as a high-level prospect when he was playing with the Georgia Stars and caught the attention of former UNT assistant coach Jareem Dowling.

Sissoko committed to the University of Dayton and spent three injury-plagued seasons with the Flyers before electing to transfer and landing at UNT.

“The atmosphere and the coaches have made North Texas a good fit,” Sissoko said. “It’s a great program, a winning program with a great culture. The coaches care about their guys, not just as players, but also as human beings.

“They want you to grow athletically while also making you a better person.”

There’s no denying how far Sissoko has come at UNT. He emerged as a key contributor late in the 2022-23 season after Abou Ousmane, another forward, left the program. Sissoko has gradually developed into a force while serving in a unique role since.

The Mean Green stand out in college basketball in terms of their approach. UNT plays at one of the most deliberate paces in the country and relies in part on Sissoko to make the half-court defense that is its strength effective.

Sissoko is a physical presence in the paint. He also directs traffic, calling out screens and making sure the Mean Green execute their scheme, which is designed to keep the ball out of the paint and the middle of the floor.

Hodge says Sissoko plays a key role with all he does defensively. Those contributions are just a small part of the role Sissoko has played in UNT’s success.

“I’m biased, but Moulaye is easily one of the improved players in our conference and one of the most improved in the country,” Hodge said.

UNT will look to Sissoko to play a key role again this week, when he tries to add another memorable chapter to his remarkable journey in basketball.

Angela Doyle said her family’s goal all along was to change Sissoko’s life and that of his family by offering him the opportunity for an education and a college basketball career in America.

Sissoko has capitalized on that chance while keeping his homeland close to his heart. He handed out wristbands to his teammates this year that recognize his heritage and plays in shoes that are black, green and red, a color combination that is often associated with Africa.

After games, Sissoko drapes himself in Mali’s flag, which features three vertical stripes of green, yellow and red.

Those small gestures allow Sissoko to recognize his roots in Mali, which have remained important to him over the years.

“Basketball took me a lot of places,” Sissoko said. “I met a lot of great people, made a lot of connections and built great relationships.”

The experience has changed Sissoko’s life, just like the Doyles hoped, and led him to lay out plans to do for others what his host family has done for him.

“After basketball, I want to focus on helping people back home,” Sissoko said. “Whether it’s bringing them over here or helping make things easier back home, I want to help people achieve their goals, dreams and aspirations.”