Buay Koka

Photo by: Parker Waters

CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 3: North Carolina Tar Heels forward Brandon Huffman (42) and Tulane Green Wave center Buay Koka (13) grapple for a loose ball during a game between the Tulane Green Wave and the UNC Tar Heels at Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC on December 3, 2017. UNC defeated Tulane 97 - 73. (Photo by Greg Thompson)

Photo by: Greg Thompson

Photo by: Parker Waters

Photo by: Parker Waters

Buay Koka vs. Southeastern Louisiana - 2017

Photo by: Parker Waters

Position:
Center
Height:
7-1
Weight:
210
Class:
Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown:
Nasir, South Sudan
High School:
The Patrick School (N.J.)

2019-20: Named to the 2019-20 NABC Honors Court...Earned a spot on the AAC All-Academic Team...Entered 12 games as a reserve…Made one shot against Jackson State (11/12)…Made a pair of free throws off the bench against Mississippi State (11/21)…Had three points, two rebounds and a block at Wichita State (2/16).

2018-19: Tabbed to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team...Appeared in 15 games and made six starts…. Drew his first career start vs. Texas Southern (12/17)…Averaged 3.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 14 minutes per game…Had multiple blocks in five games…Shot 25-for-34 (.735) overall…Ranked third on the team in dunks…Scored 11 points along with 3 rebounds and shot 5-for-5 in 24 minutes at South Alabama (12/8)…Recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA in the Fall 2018 semester…Missed the final 15 games with a broken finger.

2017-18: Named to the 2017-18 American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team...Played in seven of the Green Wave’s first 10 games off the bench…Debuted with four minutes and a season-high five rebounds while making his only shot attempt in the win over Southeastern Louisiana (11/13)…Tallied one point, one rebound and a blocked shot at Georgia State (11/26)…Grabbed two rebounds and had one block in the win over Alcorn State (11/29)…Played a season-high seven minutes, pulled down two boards and had one block at 13th-ranked North Carolina (12/3)…Registered two rebounds and one steal in the win over Southern (12/6).

Before Tulane: Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN.com… Played under head coach Chris Chavannes at The Patrick School in Hillside, N.J., that was ranked No. 10 nationally in the USA Today preseason poll and No. 6 by MaxPreps…Helped the Celtics to a 29-4 overall record to finish No. 1 in the NJ.com Top 20 after winning the school’s sixth NJSIAA Tournament of Champions and the 2017 South Jersey, Non-Public A title – the school’s first since 2009...Played alongside Nick Richards (Kentucky), Jamir Harris (Minnesota) and Marcus McClary (Monmouth).

Facts: Pursuing a degree in public health...Recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA during the fall 2018 semester.