South Sudan’s British-Ghanaian Assistant Coach, Dzaflo Kwame Larkai, believes their success story is one that other African countries can emulate because the East African country has already created the template.

The Bright Stars claimed an upset win against Puerto Rico on their Olympics debut at the Paris 2024 Men’s Basketball Tournament, making them just the third African team to win their first game at the Olympics.

South Sudan went on to lose by 17 points against the USA and 11 points against Serbia, which meant their journey at the Olympics came to an end.

However, their impressive performances won many hearts and put the world on notice, especially the one-point defeat to the USA in the pre-Olympics exhibition clash.

“I think it's something that not just Ghana, but a lot of African countries can emulate because there's talent all over the place,” Larkai, who was born in England to Ghanaian parents, told Joy Sports.

The 13-year-old country's roster includes players from the diaspora who possess dual citizenship and play in leagues across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the NBA.

Since becoming the South Sudan Basketball Federation President in 2020, former NBA star Luol Deng has been instrumental in their journey to building a formidable team for the 2024 Olympics. Deng funded their trips from his own pocket and convinced top coaches to join the project. Royal Ivey, an NBA veteran and assistant coach for the Houston Rockets, serves as South Sudan’s head coach, with support from Dzaflo Larkai, who is also a scout for the Milwaukee Bucks.

 “For example, before joining the organization, I didn’t know that there were so many players from South Sudan around the globe who could really play at a high level,” Larkai added.

“I'm sure it’s the same with Ghana. There are guys in the NBA, and also players at high levels in Europe, Australia, or Asia, who would like to play for their country.

“Personally, I played for Great Britain because, at the time, there wasn’t a national team for me to play for in Ghana. This was from 2008 to 2013 when I played. I would have loved to play for Ghana, but the rules are such that as a senior, you’re only allowed to play for one country."

I spoke to South Sudan’s British-Ghanaian Assistant Coach, Flo Larkai , about their success story at the #Paris2024 #OlympicGames.

He says it is something Ghana can emulate.

Watch out for the full conversation

pic.twitter.com/VXZTrWfmhc

— Adamu Benin Abdul Karim (@_benin_) August 6, 2024