While Fam’s on-court dominance is what earned her the 3rd overall pick, the story of her resilience begins with two Senegalese immigrants who built a new life in Spain, forging a path that would lead their daughter to the WNBA.
As projected on draft boards across the league, the 6’4″ Spanish forward came off the board early as the 3rd overall pick by the Seattle Storm, just behind Azzi Fudd and Olivia Miles.
The Santa Pola native will now look to use her impressive frame to lead the Storm frontcourt, but we all know about her playing skills by now. But not much is known about her family, most notably about her parents, so who are Awa Fam’s parents? Let’s find out.
Who Is Awa Fam’s Father?
Awa Fam’s parents are both African immigrants from Senegal who settled down in Alicante in the autonomous Community of Valencia. Her father’s name is Madoumbe Fam, who emigrated to Spain from his hometown of Guédiawaye. But apart from that, not much is known about him.
Who Is Awa Fam’s Mother?
Awa Fam’s mother is Arame Thiam, who accompanied her husband, Madoumbe, as they both left Senegal to find their new home in Spain. Just like her father, the details about Awa Fam’s mother also remain a mystery, other than the fact that both of her parents worked as market vendors in local public markets.
What Is Awa Fam’s Parents’ Ethnicity and Nationality?
Awa Fam was born and raised in Spain, but her ethnicity is Senegalese. Both of her parents are originally from Senegal, which makes her an interesting character in the Spanish lineup, giving Fam a dual cultural identity.
However, when it came to choosing a country to represent, Fam chose her country of residence. So far, Awa has been involved with the Spanish team in innumerable games right from her youth level and has won silver medals in the FIBA U16, U17, and U19 World Cups.
Does Awa Fam Have Siblings?
Fam isn’t the only basketball talent in her family; her two older brothers, Tala and Karim, also played at a high level. While Karim competed locally in the Community of Valencia, Tala reached the professional ranks in Ireland.
How Did Awa Fam’s Parents Support Her Basketball Career?
Right from the time she played for CEIP Virgen de Loreto in Santa Pola, Spain, where she spent her early school years. During this time, she played multiple sports, including handball and volleyball, before ultimately focusing on basketball.
Her introduction to basketball was heavily influenced by her family, particularly her older brothers, who played at the local Club Deportivo Polanens. She would accompany them to training sessions. This would also help her to gradually develop an interest in the sport before joining youth teams at the club.
From the early beginnings in Spain and now to the grandest stage of the WNBA, where she had always hoped to be a part of.
“It was always my dream. If I am there, I will keep improving…It’s gonna be nice for me, seeing the best players in the world, seeing what they’re doing each day, how they approach the game, and competing against them,” she had once shared in her interview.
And now that dream for her is coming true because her family grabbed on to every opportunity that came their way to ensure she always gets the best facilities.
