{"id":8631,"date":"2017-07-23T09:15:53","date_gmt":"2017-07-23T13:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=8631"},"modified":"2021-12-27T12:45:08","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T17:45:08","slug":"brooklyn-nets-sign-yakuba-ouattara","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2017\/07\/23\/brooklyn-nets-sign-yakuba-ouattara\/","title":{"rendered":"Brooklyn Nets Sign Yakuba Ouattara"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Hard work\u00a0is often viewed as a key ingredient in the recipe for success. In the NBA, Brooklyn Nets general manager\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/marksse01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sean Marks<\/a><\/strong> continues to embody this philosophy. The Nets signed guard\u00a0<strong>Yakuba Ouattara<\/strong>\u00a0to a two-way contract on Friday.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Brooklyn Nets Sign Yakuba Ouattara<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>The Official Announcement<\/strong><\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">NEWS: We have signed guard Yakuba Ouattara: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lle4r5mC0G\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/lle4r5mC0G<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/J1mFsM5fTb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/J1mFsM5fTb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrooklynNets\/status\/888462369843585024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 21, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Nets signed Ouattara to a two-way contract. Teams are permitted to sign a maximum of two two-way contracts in addition to their 15-man roster. Two-way players primarily represent the NBA team&#8217;s G-League affiliate\u00a0but can spend up to 45 days with the NBA team during a season. Most notably, this time does not include any days prior to the start of the G-League team&#8217;s training camp and after the conclusion of their season.<\/p>\n<p>According to European Basketball insider\u00a0<strong>David Pick<\/strong>, Ouattara worked out for the Nets previously:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">OKC, BRK and DAL brought in French star Billy Ouattara for workouts. He chose to skip Summer League to honor his national-team commitment.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; David Pick (@IAmDPick) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IAmDPick\/status\/877167738862661632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 20, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Ouattara expressed his excitement via social media:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">So Happy and so excited to be a New Member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrooklynNets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@brooklynnets<\/a> family.<br \/>Can&#39;t wait to start this\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qor1QPY6k8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/qor1QPY6k8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; yak (@yakubaouattara) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/yakubaouattara\/status\/888482869726859264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 21, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Who is Yakuba Ouattara?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/euro\/players\/billy-yakuba-ouattara-1.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Billy Yakuba Ouattara<\/a> is a French international basketball player. Born in Tepa, Ghana, Ouattara is 25 years old. A 6&#8217;4&#8243; shooting guard, Ouattara has played professionally since 2012. Especially relevant,\u00a0Ouattara played in the top French league throughout his professional career, showing consistent improvement along the way.<\/p>\n<p>In the French premier division, LNB-Pro A, Ouattara represented Elan Chalon and AS Monaco. Last season with AS Monaco, Ouattara averaged 12.7 points and 5.0 rebounds while playing 29 minutes per game. Ouattara also played 18 games in the Basketball Champions League, where he averaged 10.6 PPG and 2.8 RPG. He contributed to his team making it to the Basketball Champions League Final Four.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K_OCHF4hUqY\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Ouattara&#8217;s Resum\u00e9<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Ouattara&#8217;s\u00a0performances have not gone unnoticed. In 2016, he was selected to the French national provisional team. This is the pool for which the national teams are chosen to represent Team France Basket in FIBA EuroBasket 2017 and continuing on for the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fiba.com\/basketballworldcup\/2019\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019<\/a>\u00a0and Men&#8217;s Olympic Basketball Tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Players selected for Team France Basket signed a\u00a0&#8220;charter of engagement.&#8221; Following the 2016\u00a0season, Ouattara was a Eurobasket.com All-French ProA Honorable Mention for 2016.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"fr\" dir=\"ltr\">Tr\u00e8s content de faire partie de cette nouvelle aventure \ud83d\udcaa\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\ude09 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FRABasketball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@FRABasketball<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TeamFranceBasket?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#TeamFranceBasket<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/FFBB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#FFBB<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/idONE4l3Nz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/idONE4l3Nz<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; yak (@yakubaouattara) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/yakubaouattara\/status\/857244104006279168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 26, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Ouattara was also a member of the French international program for multiple years. He has played for the French senior team since 2016 and played for the U20 National Team back in 2011.\u00a0Ouattara represented France at the World University Games in Gwangju (South Korea) two years ago. In eight games there, he averaged 7.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game on 45.5 percent shooting from the field and 70.6 percent from the free throw line.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A7t4p_FQMRg\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Athletically, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.basketballcl.com\/16-17\/videos\/Ouattara-the-Dunkmaster-puts-it-up-in-the-end\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ouattara is a high-flying freak<\/a>. Ouattara&#8217;s athleticism and accuracy from three-point range make him an intriguing prospect. Welcome to Brooklyn, Yakuba\u00a0Ouattara.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<\/p>\n<div class=\"getty embed image\" style=\"background-color: #fff; display: inline-block; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; color: #a7a7a7; font-size: 11px; width: 100%; max-width: 594px;\">\n<div style=\"padding: 0; margin: 0; text-align: left;\"><a style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/675170326\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"overflow: hidden; position: relative; height: 0; padding: 66.161616% 0 0 0; width: 100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"display: inline-block; position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0;\" src=\"\/\/embed.gettyimages.com\/embed\/675170326?et=wZ507DDlSQRVwul3GVXXCg&amp;tld=ca&amp;viewMoreLink=off&amp;sig=F9W3hWqm0uarK4mb-Ig2G2NGwSzasjSYSlVO98uPEuk=&amp;caption=true\" width=\"594\" height=\"393\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"margin: 0;\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Brooklyn Nets sign Yakuba Ouattara\u00a0to a two-way contract. The 25-year-old shooting guard from France is an intriguing addition to the team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":466,"featured_media":8654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,61,62,3],"tags":[65,231,1131,96,202,235,1130],"class_list":["post-8631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nets","category-international-basketball","category-nba","category-news","tag-basketball","tag-brooklyn-nets","tag-eurobasket","tag-nba","tag-nba-news","tag-sean-marks","tag-yakuba-ouattara"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/466"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8631"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8631\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}