{{short description|Ivorian basketball player (born 1987)}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Solo Diabate | image = | image_size = 320px | caption = Diabate with MZT (left) | position = Shooting guard / point guard | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0 | weight_lb = 167 | league = Road to BAL | team = Dar City | number = | nationality = Ivorian / French | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1987|7|21}} | birth_place = Cocody, Ivory Coast | draft_year = 2009 | career_start = 2006 | career_end = | years1 = 2006–2009 | team1 = JDA Dijon | years2 = 2009–2012 | team2 = Chorale Roanne | years3 = 2012–2013 | team3 = SLUC Nancy | years4 = 2013–2015 | team4 = BCM Gravelines | years5 = 2015–2016 | team5 = Rouen Métropole | years6 = 2016–2017 | team6 = MZT Skopje | years7 = 2017 | team7 = Champagne Châlons-Reims | years9 = 2017 | team9 = Fujian Lightning | years10 = 2018 | team10 = Levickí Patrioti | years11 = 2018–2019 | team11 = SLUC Nancy | years12 = 2019–2021 | team12 = Fos Provence Basket | years13 = 2021 | team13 = Zamalek | years14 = 2021–2022 | team14 = Smouha | years15 = 2021 | team15 = →Al Ittihad | years16 = 2022 | team16 = US Monastir | years17 = 2022–2023 | team17 = Petro de Luanda | years18 = 2023–2024 | team18 = Al Ahly Ly | years19 = | team19 = | highlights = *2× BAL champion (2021, 2022) * BAL All-Defensive First Team (2024) * BAL Sportsmanship Award (2025) * Tunisian League champion (2022) * Tunisian Cup winner (2022) * 2× Angolan League champion (2023, 2025) * 2× Angolan Cup winner (2023, 2025) *Pro A assists leader (2016) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's basketball}} {{MedalCountry|{{bk|CIV}}}} {{MedalCompetition|AfroBasket}} {{MedalSilver|2009 Libya|}} {{MedalSilver|2021 Rwanda|}} | years20 = 2024–2025 | team20 = Petro de Luanda | years21 = 2025–present | team21 = Dar City }} '''Mouloukou Souleyman Diabate''' (born 21 July 1987), commonly known as '''Solo Diabate''', is an Ivorian basketball player for Dar City Basketball Club. After playing a decade in France and some years in North Macedonia, China and Slovakia, Diabate began his career at the African continent in 2021. He is a two-time BAL champion, with Zamalek in 2021 and US Monastir in 2022.
He also represents the Ivory Coast national team. With Ivory Coast, Diabate has won two silver medals at AfroBasket tournaments in 2009 and 2021.
==Professional career==
=== France (2006–2016) === Diabate has played in the French League since 2006. In his career, he played for JDA Dijon Basket, Chorale Roanne Basket, SLUC Nancy Basket, and BCM Gravelines. In 2015, he signed with Rouen Métropole. In the 2015-2016 season, Diabate was the league's assist leader with 6.5 per game to go with his 10.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
=== MZT Skopje (2017–2018) === On February 16, 2017, Diabate signed with the French team Châlons-Reims, after starting the season with MZT Skopje.<ref>{{cite news|title=Souleyman Diabatè inks with Chalons-Reims|url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/france/226318/souleyman-diabate-inks-with-chalons-reims.html|accessdate=18 February 2017|date=16 February 2017}}</ref>
On 4 November 2016, he signed with MZT Skopje Aerodrom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mztskopjeaerodrom.mk/index.php/novosti/vo-vrska-so/razno/item/536-afrikanecot-diabate-e-nov-chlen-na-mzt-skopje-aerodrom|title=Африканецот Диабате е нов член на МЗТ Скопје Аеродром|publisher=mztskopjeaerodrom.mk|accessdate=4 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sportmedia.mk/kosharka/domashno-prvenstvo/atraktivniot-afrikanec-diabate-go-zasili-mzt-skopje-video|title=Атрактивниот Африканец Диабате го засили МЗТ Скопје|publisher=sportmedia.mk|accessdate=4 November 2016}}</ref> On 13 January 2017, he left MZT Skopje<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sportmedia.mk/kosharka/aba-liga/oficijalno-mzt-go-izbrka-diabate-koj-e-sledniot|title=ОФИЦИЈАЛНО: МЗТ го избрка Диабате, кој е следниот?|publisher=sportmedia.mk|accessdate=13 January 2017}}</ref> On September 11, 2018, he signed with SLUC Nancy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/france/pro-b/288107/sluc-nancy-reportedly-agreed-to-terms-with-souleyman-diabate.html|title=SLUC Nancy reportedly agreed to terms with Souleyman Diabate|publisher=sportando.com|accessdate=11 September 2018}}</ref>
=== Africa (2021–present) ===
==== Zamalek (2020–2021) ==== In August 2021, Diabate signed with Egyptian club Zamalek to play in the 2021 BAL season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=African Basketball News, Scores, Stats, Analysis, Standings |url=https://www.afrobasket.com/Ivory-Coast/news/699760/Somouha-tabs-Souleyman-Diabate-ex-AL-Zamalek |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=www.afrobasket.com}}</ref> He helped Zamalek win the first first-ever championship of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) after winning the finals.<ref>{{cite news |title=18-year-old Mohab Yasser stars as Egypt's Zamalek win first ever BAL title |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/egypt-zamalek-winners-first-basketball-africa-league-bal-final-yasser- |access-date=31 May 2021 |work=Olympics.com}}</ref>
==== Egypt and US Monastir (2021–2022) ==== In August 2021, Diabate signed with Smouha to stay in Egypt. On 28 September 2021, Diabate was loaned to Al Ittihad to play in the 2021 Arab Club Basketball Championship.<ref>{{cite news |title=FilGoal {{!}} News {{!}} Basket |url=https://middleeast.in-24.com/sport/News/78479.html |access-date=30 September 2021 |work=Middle East in 24 Sport English |date=27 September 2021 |language=en-us}}</ref> At Ittihad, he replaced the injured Corey Webster.<ref>{{cite news |title=Coupe Arabe : Solo Diabaté prêté à l'Ittihad d'Alexandrie |url=https://www.sport-ivoire.ci/basketball/coupe-arabe-solo-diabaté-prêté-à-littihad-d’alexandrie |access-date=30 September 2021 |work=Sport-ivoire.ci |date=28 September 2021 |language=fr}}</ref>
On 10 February 2022, Diabate signed with US Monastir ahead of the 2022 BAL season.<ref>{{cite web |title=🏀 سليمان ديباتي نجم المنتخب الإيفواري لكرةالسلة إتحادي 👏 |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CZxQJaOr-SG/ |website=Instagram.com |publisher=Union Sportive Monastirienne |access-date=10 February 2022}}</ref> He helped Monastir win the championships by winning the 2022 BAL Finals. Diabate became the first player ever to win two BAL championships.<ref>{{cite news |title=US Monastir are the 2022 Basketball Africa League Champions |url=https://bal.nba.com/news/us-monastir-are-the-2022-basketball-africa-league-champions |access-date=30 May 2022 |work=The BAL |language=en}}</ref>
==== Petro de Luanda (2022–2023) ==== In September 2022, Diabate signed a contract for Petro de Luanda in Angola to play in both the Angolan League and BAL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=lumanhula |first=Jose |date=2022-09-23 |title=SOULEYMAN "SOLO" DIABATE É PETROLÍFERO |url=https://petroatletico.co.ao/noticia/4131 |access-date=2022-09-25 |website=Petro de Luanda |language=pt-PT}}</ref> He won the 2023 Angolan Cup with the team,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-03-24 |title=Petro revalida a Taça de Angola de Basquetebol |url=https://www.jornaldeangola.ao/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=Jornal de Angola |language=pt}}</ref> as well as the Angolan Basketball League title.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Jornal de Angola - Notícias - Petro de Luanda conquista 16º título |url=https://www.jornaldeangola.ao/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Jornal de Angola |language=pt}}</ref>
==== Al Ahly Benghazi (2023–2024) ==== Diabate joined Libyan club Al Ahly Benghazi for the 2024 BAL qualification tournaments. On 1 November 2023, Diabate made his debut and recorded 13 points and 9 assists in Al Ahly's 86–77 win over FAP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lofton, Diabate lead Al Ahly Benghazi to victory against FAP |url=https://www.fiba.basketball/africaleague/2024/qualifiers/news/-lofton-diabate-lead-al-ahly-benghazi-to-victory-against-fap |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=FIBA.basketball |language=en}}</ref> Diabate helped Al Ahly qualify for their first ever BAL season, which began in April. They reached the finals, in which Diabate scored 20 points but lost to his former team Petro de Luanda, thus missing out on his third championship.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2024-06-03 |title=Petro de Luanda beat Al Ahly Ly to win BAL title |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/40267633/petro-de-luanda-beat-al-ahly-ly-win-bal-final |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> He posted BAL career-highs in points (11.3), rebounds (4.7), assists (5.8), steals (1.8) and blocks (0.4),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Souleyman Diabate Player Profile, Al Ahly Benghazi - RealGM |url=https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Souleyman-Diabate/Summary/24117 |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=basketball.realgm.com}}</ref> and was named to the BAL All-Defensive First Team after the season.<ref name=":0">{{Cite Instagram |postid=C74ZpFsNbjm |user=thebal |title=Announcing the 2024 All-BAL Defensive Second Team! |date=2024-06-07}}</ref>
==== Return to Petro de Luanda (2024–2025) ==== On 10 August 2024, Petro de Luanda announced that they signed Diabate, who returned after one year.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user= petro_de_luanda|number=1822272707011960964 |title=Tínhamos saudades, Diabaté! Bem-vindo de volta!}}</ref> He reached a record-extending fourth final with Petro, but lost to Al Ahli Tripoli. Diabate was however given the BAL Sportsmanship Award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BAL announces 2025 awards |url=https://bal.nba.com/news/bal-announces-2025-awards |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=The BAL |language=en}}</ref>
===== Dar City (2025–present) ===== On 8 October 2025, Diabate joined Tanzanian champions Dar City of the NBL and the Road to BAL.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solo Diabaté, le globe-trotter du basketball africain, pose ses valises en Tanzanie |url=https://www.bebasket.fr/solo-diabate-le-globe-trotter-du-basketball-africain-pose-ses-valises-en-tanzanie |access-date=2025-10-11 |website=BeBasket |language=fr}}</ref>
== International career == Diabate was a member of the Ivory Coast national basketball team at the 2007 and 2009 FIBA Africa Championship.<ref>[http://libya2009.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/09/fafcm/player/p/pid/59965/sid/6599/tid/267/profile.html Mouloukou Diabate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120818103152/http://libya2009.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/09/fafcm/player/p/pid/59965/sid/6599/tid/267/profile.html |date=2012-08-18 }} at FIBA.com</ref> In 2009, he helped the team to a surprise silver medal to qualify for the country's first FIBA World Championship in 24 years. On 19 June 2015, Diabate was one of 27 players to be named to the Ivory Coast's preliminary squad for the 2015 Africa Championship by head coach Hugues Occansey.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cote d'Ivoire call up 27 players for Tunisia 2015|url=http://www.fiba.com/news/cote-divoire-call-up-27-players-for-tunisia-2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150708135114/http://www.fiba.com/news/cote-divoire-call-up-27-players-for-tunisia-2015|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 8, 2015|website=FIBA|accessdate=31 July 2015}}</ref>
Diabate played with Ivory Coast at AfroBasket 2021 in Rwanda and got his second silver medal.
==BAL career statistics== {{BAL player statistics legend|champion=y|leader=y}}
{{BAL player statistics start}} |- |style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|2021† |style="text-align:left;"|Zamalek | 5 || 0 || 18.1 || .439 || style="background:#cfecec;"| '''.591*''' || .750 || 1.6 || 4.6 || 1.6 || 0.0 || 10.4 |- |style="text-align:left;background:#afe6ba;"|2022† |style="text-align:left;"|Monastir | 6 || '''3''' || 25.3 || .339 || .190 || '''.889''' || 3.2 || 4.0 || 1.3 || 0.0 || 8.3 |- |style="text-align:left;"|2023 |style="text-align:left;"| Petro de Luanda | 8 || 0 || 21.0 || .400 || .333 || 1.000 || 3.0 || 4.4 || 1.0 || 0.1 || 7.1 |- |style="text-align:left;"|2024 |style="text-align:left;"| Al Ahly Ly | '''10''' || 2 || '''32.0''' || '''.'''495 || .304 || .842 || '''4.7''' || '''5.8''' || '''1.8''' || '''0.4''' || 11.3 |- |style="text-align:left;"|2025 |style="text-align:left;"| Petro de Luanda | '''10'''|| 1 || 20.0 || .379 || .053 || 1.000 || 2.2 || 3.6 || 2.3 || 0.7 || '''11.7''' |- {{s-end}}
==References== {{reflist}}{{Petro de Luanda basketball current roster}}{{Zamalek 2021 BAL Champions}} {{US Monastir 2022 BAL Champions}} {{Côted'Ivoire squad FIBA Africa Championship 2009}} {{Ivory Coast squad FIBA AfroBasket 2021}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diabate, Solo}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:ABA League players Category:BCM Gravelines players Category:Champagne Basket players Category:Chorale Roanne Basket players Category:Ivorian expatriate basketball people in France Category:Ivorian men's basketball players Category:JDA Dijon Basket players Category:KK MZT Skopje players Category:US Monastir basketball players Category:Point guards Category:SLUC Nancy Basket players Category:Basketball players from Abidjan Category:Zamalek SC basketball players Category:2010 FIBA World Championship players Category:2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players Category:Fos Provence Basket players Category:Al Ittihad Alexandria Club basketball players Category:2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup players Category:Al Ahly Benghazi basketball players Category:Hefei Storm players Category:21st-century Ivorian sportsmen Category:Dar City BC players