AS HIS naturalization application inches closer to the end goal, Angelo Kouame is grateful to have support from teammates and friends as he continues to adjust to Filipino culture, both on and off the court.
Earlier this week, Kouame earned the affirmation of the Senate's Committee on Justice and Human Rights, chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon, clearing the first hurdle in the upper legislative house after his bill passed the House of Representatives.
"I just feel blessed about it. I keep moving forward," he said in a television interview in ONE News' The Game on Thursday.
On his Instagram bio, he's already put the Philippine flag side by side with the Ivorian flag.
Asked about how he's fitting in, the 23-year-old said: "It's basically the same thing. My people are welcoming too and they really enjoy being present in the moment. And here, it's kind of easy for me 'cause I like being around people."
His naturalization bill was filed more than two years ago, on August 2018. It's definitely taken a while to advance, but he's happy the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) had him on its priority list — even leapfrogging the petitions of Justin Brownlee and Chris McCullough.
Looking back to the big decision he made for himself a few years ago, Kouame shared that it's been an easy time for him to adjust to Pinoys.
He's also glad his family has his back, too.
"I actually had a good conversation with my mother. She was worried about losing my Ivorian citizenship, but when it was said that I can have both, she was okay with it," he said.
The Ivory coast-native was honored to be under the guidance of coach Tab Baldwin, whom he described as a "godfather" to him and his teammates.
"[On] the court, he’s really serious about business but outside of the court, he’s kind of, y’know, like a father to everybody," he said.
The two-time UAAP champion and 2018 Rookie of the Year also shared that, aside from his Blue Eagle squad and coach Tab, there is another player who made an impact on him recently.
"Outside the Ateneo, during the bubble, Kiefer Ravena was a kind of mentor [to me]. He was there for everybody. He was competitive and I like the competitiveness he brought on the court," he said of the NLEX star.
Kouame added, "He was like a 'challenge.'"
With the possibility of Gilas squad being invited to the PBA as a guest team, Kouame is also looking forward to experiencing some league action... especially against the likes of June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar.
"That's for sure, those two, they've been dominant in the league for so long. I like to accept this challenge. They are my kuyas, and for me, playing against them is something that I think is going to be challenging," he added.
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