Moving to the United State to further his basketball career, Gassim Toure saw differences in the sport right away.
The physicality and pace contrasted his way of play in West Africa. He also battled a language barrier when he arrived, perfecting his English after speaking French in his home nation of Guinea.
"It's not that easy," Toure said. "But when I came here, one of the hardest things, one of the biggest challenges was the language. Back home, we don't speak English. Everybody speaks French; that's the main language. That was probably the biggest challenge."
Toure adapted to American basketball and became a sought after guard in the Midwest. Enrolled at St. Louis (Mo.) Principia, he's received six offers through his sophomore season, including Illinois, UCF and Xavier.
Missouri also established a connection with Toure this past year. The Tigers hosted Toure for a practice before inviting him back for the Arkansas game in January.
"It would feel great," Toure said about an offer from Missouri. "Because Missouri is an SEC school, and all their performances they did this year, I think it is the one of the great teams in the whole state with a great coaching staff, Coach Gates, coach of the year. So it would feel real good. I just need to put more work in, to keep pushing."
After the Tigers defeated the Razorbacks, Toure met with head coach Dennis Gates, who previously spoke to him on his first visit, but the Class of 2027 guard's primary contact through the process was assistant coach Kyle Smithpeters.
"He's a good guy," Toure said. "He just makes you feel comfortable where you're at."
With guards highlighting the 2027 class in St. Louis, Toure prioritized his consistency as a three-level scorer, improving his 3-point and mid-range shooting. Skills trainer Jordan Walton noted how Toure's raw skill set showed a glimpse into Power Four potential this past season, as the guard came more into his own.
"(He) doesn't care about anything but basketball, and he's an awesome kid," Walton said. "He's plug-and-play fit immediately, just because of his body style. He's not a diva. He just does whatever the coach tells him to do, loves basketball, and whatever his role is, he's going to go kill that role."
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The physicality and pace contrasted his way of play in West Africa. He also battled a language barrier when he arrived, perfecting his English after speaking French in his home nation of Guinea.
"It's not that easy," Toure said. "But when I came here, one of the hardest things, one of the biggest challenges was the language. Back home, we don't speak English. Everybody speaks French; that's the main language. That was probably the biggest challenge."
Toure adapted to American basketball and became a sought after guard in the Midwest. Enrolled at St. Louis (Mo.) Principia, he's received six offers through his sophomore season, including Illinois, UCF and Xavier.
Missouri also established a connection with Toure this past year. The Tigers hosted Toure for a practice before inviting him back for the Arkansas game in January.
"It would feel great," Toure said about an offer from Missouri. "Because Missouri is an SEC school, and all their performances they did this year, I think it is the one of the great teams in the whole state with a great coaching staff, Coach Gates, coach of the year. So it would feel real good. I just need to put more work in, to keep pushing."
After the Tigers defeated the Razorbacks, Toure met with head coach Dennis Gates, who previously spoke to him on his first visit, but the Class of 2027 guard's primary contact through the process was assistant coach Kyle Smithpeters.
"He's a good guy," Toure said. "He just makes you feel comfortable where you're at."
With guards highlighting the 2027 class in St. Louis, Toure prioritized his consistency as a three-level scorer, improving his 3-point and mid-range shooting. Skills trainer Jordan Walton noted how Toure's raw skill set showed a glimpse into Power Four potential this past season, as the guard came more into his own.
"(He) doesn't care about anything but basketball, and he's an awesome kid," Walton said. "He's plug-and-play fit immediately, just because of his body style. He's not a diva. He just does whatever the coach tells him to do, loves basketball, and whatever his role is, he's going to go kill that role."
Mizzou target Gassim Toure overcomes challenges in move to United States
Moving away from his home nation of Guinea, Gassim Toure became a sought after Class of 2027 guard in the Midwest.
