Last Updated on April 2, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is a detailed profile of Soumaila Samake:

  • Full Name: Soumaila Samake
  • Nickname: No widely documented.
  • Nationality: Malian / Mali.
  • Date of Birth: March 18, 1978.
  • Hometown: Bougouni, Mali.
  • Height: Public sources conflict slightly; he is commonly listed around 7’0″ to 7’1″. Basketball-Reference lists 7’0″, FIBA lists 215 cm / 7’1″, and NBA.com lists 6’10”.
  • Weight: 230 lb to 245 lb.
  • Wingspan: 7’1″.
  • Shoe Size: Size 20.
  • Jersey Number: No college jersey number found because he did not play U.S. college basketball. In the NBA he wore No. 45 for the New Jersey Nets and No. 0 for the Los Angeles Lakers.
  • Position: Center.
  • High School: No reliable public high school listing found.
  • College: None / not a college player; ESPN’s 2000 draft bio listed college as N/A. (ESPN.com)
  • NBA Draft: New Jersey Nets, 2000 NBA Draft, Round 2, Pick 36.
  • Player Archetype: Rim-running defensive center / raw shot-blocking big. This is an inference based on his draft profile, block numbers, size, and role. (ESPN.com)
  • Primary Offensive Role: Low-usage interior finisher, offensive rebounder, and screen-setting big. This is an inference from his limited scoring profile and center usage. (ESPN.com)
  • Defensive Role: Paint protector and shot blocker. (ESPN.com)
  • Play Style: Long, mobile interior big whose value was tied more to rim protection, rebounding, and finishing around the basket than to polished half-court offense. This is an inference from his draft scouting and career production. (ESPN.com)
  • Handedness / Shooting Hand: Right-handed shooter. (Basketball Reference)
  • Athletic Profile: Tall, rangy, springy interior athlete with shot-blocking reach, but offensively raw. This is an inference from the scouting material and statistical profile. (ESPN.com)
  • Recruiting Status: Not a traditional NCAA recruit; he played professionally in Slovenia before coming to the United States and entering the 2000 draft pool. (ESPN.com)
  • Draft Status Detail: International prospect from Mali; ESPN’s 2000 draft bio said he became eligible after playing his first professional season in the U.S. with the Cincinnati Stuff, after earlier professional seasons in Slovenia. (ESPN.com)
  • Injury Status Category: No well-documented long-term injury label found in reliable public sources, though later reporting around his 2002 suspension referenced supplement use while “on the mend from injury.” (San Francisco Chronicle)
  • Career Stage: Retired / former professional basketball player. (Wikipedia)
  • Comparison Style: Traditional backup rim-protecting center in the early-2000s mold. This is a stylistic inference, not a formal scouting comp from a cited source. (ESPN.com)
  • Teams Played For:
    • KK Idrija (1996–1997)
    • Geoplin Slovan (1997–1999, 2006)
    • Union Olimpija (1999)
    • Cincinnati Stuff (1999–2000)
    • New Jersey Nets (2000–2001)
    • Orlandina Basket (2001–2002)
    • Los Angeles Lakers (2002)
    • Greenville Groove (2002–2003)
    • Detal Inowroclaw (2004)
    • Zhejiang Wanma Cyclones (2004–2006, 2006–2007, 2007–2008)
    • Ohod Al Madina (2007)
    • BEEM Mazandaran (2008)
    • Zain (2008)
    • Jilin Northeast Tigers (2008–2010)
    • Mornar Bar (2010)
    • Caspian Qazvin (2010–2011)
    • Quebec Kebs (2011–2012)
    • Vancouver Dragons (2018–2019)
  • Championship Rings: 0 NBA championships.
  • Children: No reliable public source found.
  • Siblings: No reliable public source found.
  • Retirment Age: Approximately 41, based on a listed 2019 career end and his March 18, 1978 birthdate.
  • Retirement Year: 2019 is the most commonly listed end point for his professional career.

Soumaila Samake’s player archetype was that of a rim-protecting center: a long, raw interior big whose best work came as a paint defender, rebounder, and low-usage finisher around the basket. Defensively, he projected as a shot blocker first, which matched his draft profile and the block production that helped get him noticed as a pro prospect. Offensively, he was more of a screen-setting, dive-to-the-rim big than a polished scorer, relying on size, reach, and simple interior plays rather than advanced shot creation. Physically, Samake stood around seven feet tall with clear length and vertical presence, and his overall play style fit the old-school backup center mold built on rim protection, rebounding, and energy minutes more than offensive versatility. (ESPN.com)

Sources:
ESPN — NBA DRAFT 2000 INDEX
Basketball-Reference — Soumaila Samake Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
NBA.com — Soumaila Samake
FIBA — Soumaila Samake
ESPN — Soumaila Samake Biography