Women’s Basketball’s Thienou Representing Mali in 2026 FIBAWomen’s World Cup Qualifiers

MEXICO CITY – With summer workouts wrapped in Oxford, freshman Sira Thienou is taking her talents to the world stage as the Bamako, Mali, native is representing her home country from August 19-25 at the Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Mexico City.

Thienou is no stranger to participating on the international level, most recently lighting it up last summer at the 2023 FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup. Throughout seven games in the tournament last summer, Thienou averaged 15.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game en route to a fifth-place finish. She has also represented her home country at the FIBA U18 African Women's Championship in 2022 and the FIBA U16 Women's African Championship in 2019.

Coming out of Shining Stars Sports Academy in Petersburg, Va., Thienou ventured to the United States for her final two years of high school and made a splash as she was named the NISSA Conference Player of the Year in 2024. A four-star recruit by Prospects Nation, Thienou has also spent time crafting her game, attending the prestigious NBA Academy Women's Program.

Mali is on the hunt to make their second consecutive FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup appearance, earning the country's first appearance in the event in 12 years at the 2022 event in Australia. Mali begins the three-game group phase on Monday night in search of reaching the 2026 games in Germany.

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Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament – Group A – Mali
Aug. 19 – Mali vs. Czechia – 2:30 p.m. CT
Aug. 20 – Mali vs. Venezuela – 8:30 p.m. CT
Aug. 22 – Mali vs. Korea – 12:00 CT

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Players Mentioned

Sira Thienou

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