photos courtesy of Liz Berie, Point Park Athletics
Junior forward Lassana Konate attempts to score from the paint during a Feb. 6 game against Rio Grande. Konate ended the season with 164 points. 

Fousseini and Lassana Konate are known by many around Point Park’s campus for their play on the basketball court, but the two also have a strong passion for learning in their Information Technology classes. 

“Our family values education,” Lassana Konate said. “Our parents sent us to the United States so we could learn what we want to do because in Mali, college education is really not that good… you don’t have a lot of options.” 

The tale of these twin brothers began in Mali, an African country that didn’t offer them the opportunities for the college education they wanted. Their basketball skills secured them a couple full-rides to schools in the United States, allowing them to get what they ultimately wanted more than anything.

These twins are actually not identical-looking—many are surprised to find that they are twins, they said. 

“Fousseini is light-skinned, and I’m dark-skinned,” Lassana said. “Our father is dark-skinned and our mother is really light.” 

The 23 year-olds’ father was a big influence on their personal philosophies regarding work ethic, education and athleticism. To date, the Konate family is home to 13 children, of which Fousseini and Lassana are the only twins. All of the children play basketball, even though their father was more of a soccer fan. He was just happy they picked one. 

“Kid, you have to do a sport,” his father would tell his children, Lassana said. 

Their father would often come up with “challenges” to keep his children on their toes, both academically and athletically. The two recalled being challenged to juggle a soccer ball 300 times, and to shoot for the top of their class rankings for a bicycle. 

Some of their childhoods were self-motivated as well, though. Lassana recalls inventing a machine that would automatically feed chickens on their family’s farm. A plate would sit, connected to some metal. A set of magnets would determine whether or not there was food on the plate; if food was there, it would block the signal between the magnets and the electric current connected to the metal would shut off. If food wasn’t there, the magnets would interact with each other, turning the electric current back on. The current would prompt some food to drop. 

Suffice to say, Lassana always knew he wanted to work in the field he is currently studying. 

“I like building stuff,” Lassana said. “If I got a job in this field, it wouldn’t really feel like working.” 

Fousseini was more occupied with playing basketball when he was young. It is the sport they both decided to dedicate themselves to over any other, although they dabbled in soccer, karate, tennis and more. 

“I’m only 6’5”, I’m not that tall,” Lassana said like a true basketball player. Fousseini is an inch shorter. 

The two began to take basketball seriously whenever they began playing for Mali’s national team.  This experience in the sport was the twins’ ticket to education outside of Mali. They went to prep school for one year at Lee Academy in Maine, learning to speak English. This was something that was difficult for the two of them, having grown up speaking Bambara, a native Malian language, and learning French in school. 

Once the two were able to speak English and had obtained basketball experience in the states through the Amateur Athletic Union, a national basketball organization, they went to the Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tenn. There, they enjoyed playing basketball and attending their classes. Fousseini remembers a particular professor he loved, who would call him if he missed class and say, “Hey! Where you at?” he said, laughing. 

“She was mad at me for leaving,” Fousseini said. “She was sad.” 

The two decided to leave that school because of one problem in particular. 

“Memphis is not really a safe place,” Lassana said. 

“You could hear gunshots every day,” Fousseini said.

These concerns culminated one night, when one of their teammates who lived in their dorm was shot outside. This person survived, but the incident deeply unsettled the twins. 

Enter Point Park University in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

“I like living in the city. I love the city,” Lassana said. “That’s why I chose to go here.”

The two had some adjusting to do when it came time to attend Point Park’s classes. At Lemoyne-Owen, studying Information Technology wasn’t as taxing for them as it is now at Point Park. 

“School is more challenging. There is so much homework.” Fousseini said, laughing. 

The two have to do a lot more essay writing, which is difficult for them considering their third language is English, they said. Less of a transition for the two was the basketball. Sure, with new coaches comes new ways to play, they said, but basketball is basketball. 

One of their coaches is Gabe Bubon, Point Park men’s basketball assistant coach. 

“Fousseini really, halfway through the year, figured out that if he is aggressive all the time, really good things will happen,” Bubon said via phone interview. “He was a little lost at the beginning of the year, being a new player, didn’t quite know what role he played and lacked in rebounding. All of a sudden, he just had an attitude that said, ‘I’m gonna go get every rebound, because it’s gonna help us win games.’” 

Bubon was also impressed by Lassana. 

“He was good for us,” Bubon said. “He did everything we expected him to do and asked him to do.”

Because of a “transition” period, in which the team formation embraced different strategies, Lassana got less time to play toward the end of the season, Bubon said. 

“He is going to be really good for us next year. He continually gets better and we’re going to have a really different team next year, so I think he will have a big impact next year,” Bubon said. 

It wasn’t just their athleticism that Bubon found praiseworthy. 

“I have been doing this for 12 years now, and they are the two nicest kids I’ve ever had, and I coach golf and basketball,” Bubon said. “I always praise them for just being really good people and treating people the right way, and being very humble.” 

For all of their lives, the brothers have stuck together. They are both studying the same subject matter and play their hearts out in the same sport. Lassana would love to do either professionally while Fousseini just plays basketball for fun, but the bond these two share thanks to their passions is undeniable. They even room together. 

“Actually, I’m thinking about changing the rooming,” Lassana said. 

“Me, too,” Fousseini said. They laughed. 

“23 years together is a long time,” Lassana said. 

Perhaps it is time for a break.  

Sophomore forward Fousseini Konate celebrates after scoring during a game against Rio Grande at CCAC South on Feb. 6. Konate ended the season with 249 points.