Olimpia Milano wants to go shopping in Trieste
Olimpia Milano is also looking to Trieste to reinforce itself for next season. The Milanese club is already moving in the market and, according to a report by Prealpina, has reportedly put Mady Sissoko in its sights.
Grown up in a rural village, he had a childhood marked by difficult conditions, with no electricity or running water. Basketball soon became his path, and at 15 he was noticed by Michael Clayton of Utah Valley Eye Center. After not being selected in the 2025 NBA Draft and an approach to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Summer League, he arrived in Trieste, where he took his first steps in European professionalism.
He recently showed off his skills under the basket in a confrontation with Malian compatriot Oumar Ballo, Cantù’s point guard. Both wear jersey number 11: “He copied me,” joked the Walter De Raffaele-coached player.
Sissoko’s season in Trieste has not been without obstacles. In December, during the championship game against Reggio Emilia, the Malian center suffered a moderate injury to the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, which kept him away from the parquet floors for several weeks. Prior to the forced stop, Sissoko had played in all official games for the Julian team, going into double figures eight times. His most brilliant performance had come on Nov. 18 in the Champions League against Galatasaray, where he had signed a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds in the 80-89 away win.
His compatriot Ballo, for his part, had a similarly positive season in Cantù, establishing himself as one of the most fearsome centers in the entire LBA with averages of 10.6 points and 9 rebounds per game. A performance that attracted the interest of several clubs, including Reyer Venezia and Baskonia. However, the Cantù center has had to deal with a physical problem: during the game with Sassari, he suffered a severe patellar contusion associated with a bone edema, with his condition monitored daily by the medical staff.
In the meantime, Olimpia Milano is called upon to rebuild its roster after a disappointing European season. The Red Shoes ended the Euroleague regular season out of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, with coach Peppe Poeta admitting the team’s shortcomings: “We completely lack the cynical part of the game.” A context that makes the search for young and prospective profiles like Sissoko, capable of bringing energy and physicality under the boards, even more urgent.
