Jean Jacques Boissy, a 25-year-old Senegalese international point guard, was named the Hakeem Olajuwon BAL Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season on June 14, after leading Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli to their first-ever Basketball Africa League (BAL) championship. He became the first Senegalese player to both win the title and receive the league’s top individual honor.
The MVP award was announced at SunBet Arena, following Al Ahly’s historic title run.
Boissy’s standout campaign included a selection to the All-BAL Defensive First Team, along with impressive playoff averages of 18.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.
Boissy joined Al Ahly Tripoli in May from Rwanda’s REG ahead of the playoffs and quickly blended in. Coming off the bench throughout the postseason, he made a consistent impact with his energetic defense and accurate perimeter shooting.
Jean Jacques Boissy led the regular season with 23.8 points per game, guiding Al Ahly to a 6-0 record. In the playoffs, he remained impactful off the bench, adding steady scoring and strong defense.
Boissy also stars among the top five of BAL 2025, alongside his Al Ahly teammate Jaylen Adams, Al Ittihad’s Majok Deng, APR’s Aliou Diarra, and Petro’s Patrick Gardner.
In a first for the BAL, fans participated in MVP voting—accounting for 25% of the total—while the BAL panel contributed the remaining 75%. Boissy beat out teammate Jaylen Adams, and Petro de Luanda stars Patrick Gardner and Aboubacar Gakou for the honor.
FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave was among the distinguished guests to present Boissy with the prestigious MVP trophy during the post-final award ceremony.
In the other individual honors, Fouad Abou Chakra was named Coach of the Year after leading Al Ahly Tripoli to an impressive 8-1 record and their first-ever BAL title.
The Manute Bol Sportsmanship Award went to Solo Diabate of Petro de Luanda, while Joel Almeida of Kriol Star received the Ubuntu Award, recognizing his contributions to community engagement and leadership in his home country, Cape Verde.
The BAL also unveiled its All-Defensive Teams, honoring the league’s top defenders. The First Team included Jean Jacques Boissy (Al Ahly Tripoli), Obadiah Noel (APR), Caleb Agada (Al Ahly), Taefale Lenard Jr. (MBB), and Aliou Diarra (APR), who earned his second Dikembe Mutombo Defensive Player of the Year award after leading APR to their first-ever podium finish.
The Second Team included Childe Dundao (Petro de Luanda), Mohamed Sadi (Al Ahly Tripoli), Ivan Almeida (Kriol Star), Majok Deng (Al Ittihad), and Yossoupha Ndoye (APR), rounding out a strong defensive lineup that defined the 2025 BAL season.
Following the BAL season, Boissy is expected to return to Kigali to rejoin REG for the domestic playoffs, as they attempt to dethrone back-to-back champions APR.
