Arizona Basketball Freshman from South Sudan's Journey to Tucson

Arizona freshman Mabil Mawut joins the program after playing high school basketball in New York, all the way from South Sudan. The media got the chance to talk to the freshman for the first time about his experience growing up all the way to where he is now.

On how Mawut got from South Sudan to New York:

"When I was down in South Sudan, I was recruited to the NBA academy program in Africa. It's in Senegal, so I was down there for two years from 2021 to 2023. Then from there, I got recruited to play at Our Saviour Lutheran in the Bronx in New York."

On the experience of playing in New York:

"New York was a great city. It was vibrant. I liked the culture, the basketball culture out there. It was great. I learned a lot."

On how Mawut ended up at Arizona:

"Coach (Murphy) came out to a game and watched me play. We built a relationship, brought me out on a visit here. I loved it and decided to come over here."

On why Mawut chose Arizona:

"To be honest, it is the winning culture out here. It is something great and I love winning. I love to be part of a winning team. Coach Tommy has had great success with international players like Christian Koloko and Oumar Ballo, to mention a few. I feel like I can be one of them guys."

On when South Sudan starting putting more effort in wanting to be good at basketball:

"To be honest, the talent has always been there. It is just about the resources. We're lucky enough to have someone like Luol Deng come up and step up for the country and help us with the finances and whichever the case may be. Like I say always, the talent has always been there."

On what Mawut brings to the team:

"I bring a lot of defensive upside. I would say I can stretch the floor. I can bring a lot of leadership too."

On what advice Mawut has gotten from Tobe Awaka:

"He just told me to stay ready and just stay in the moment. Take every moment for what it is, don't look at what is happening in the future. Just take every moment for what it is and build... keep stacking good days and eventually you'll have a great college career for sure."

What are your expectations for Mawut during his time in Tucson with Arizona? Let us know and be sure to follow us on our X account by clicking on the link.