Yankuba Sima

Born in Girona, Catalonia to Gambian parents, Sima started playing basketball at age 7 in local club CE Santa Eugènia de Ter. He later joined the academy of CB Sant Josep. Sima would also join the Canarias Basketball Academy before moving to the United States to continue his studies and further develop his career. Sima attended and played high school basketball for Arlington Country Day School and Elev8 Institute in Delray, Florida. ==College career==

Sima played his freshman year of college for St. John's of the Big East Conference. In the 2025-16 season he averaged 7.3 points per game and led the team in rebounds per game with 5.7. He achieved the second highest number of blocks in the conference with 60. In the 2016–17 season, he transferred to Oklahoma State midseason after playing 10 games for St. John's. In the 2017-18 season, Sima led the team in blocks with 1.1 per game. ==Professional career==

Bàsquet Manresa (2018–2022) Sima returned to Spain in 2018 to pursue professional basketball. He initially joined CB Breogán on a trial period at the start of the 2018-19 season, but he never made his debut for the Galician team. Sima later signed with Bàsquet Manresa of the Liga ACB in December 2018. He made his professional debut on 24 December 2018, in a Liga ACB game against Obradoiro. In March 2019, Manresa extended Sima's contract until 2022. After seeing little playtime during the 2019-20 season Sima joined Club Ourense Baloncesto on loan in January 2020, playing the rest of the season in the LEB Oro. Sima spent two more seasons in Manresa, recording his best numbers in the 2021-22 season. He averaged 7.4 points and 4 rebounds per game in a total of 36 games played. Sima also reached the 2022 Basketball Champions League Final Four with Manresa, losing the final to Lenovo Tenerife. Reyer Venezia (2022–2023) Sima joined Reyer Venezia in July 2022, competing in the LBA and the EuroCup. Seeing little playtime, Sima would leave the Italian side in January 2023. Unicaja Málaga (2023–2025) Sima joined Unicaja Málaga of the Liga ACB and Basketball Champions League on 12 January 2023. Unicaja would win the 2023 Copa del Rey in Sima's first season, but he missed the competition due to injury. Owing to his good performances with the Andalusians, Sima's contract was extended for another season in June 2023. In his second season with Málaga, Sima would win the 2023-24 Basketball Champions League. Sima's contract was extended with two additional years in July 2024. The 2024–25 season would be Sima's most successful yet, winning the Intercontinental Cup, the Spanish Supercup and the Copa del Rey. Sima recorded his best numbers with Unicaja in the Copa del Rey semifinal against La Laguna Tenerife, scoring 21 points. Valencia Basket (2025–present) On 4 July 2025, Sima signed a three-season contract with Valencia Basket of the Liga ACB and EuroLeague. Valencia paid the release clause of the contract that bound Sima to Unicaja. ==National team career==

Sima represented the Spanish U20 team in the 2015 and 2016 U20 European Championship, winning the latter. He made his debut for the Spanish national team in November 2021, in a win over North Macedonia during the 2023 World Cup qualifiers. Sima was Spain's top scorer with 17 points. ==Career statistics==

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Sima speaks Catalan, Spanish and English. He has four brothers and two sisters. One of his brothers, , plays basketball professionally for Albacete Basket. == References ==