From the quiet streets of Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France to playing under the bright lights of the Thomas M. Ryan Center, first-year forward Palmire Mbu is making a name for herself on the University of Rhode Island women’s basketball team in her first year.

Mbu’s journey started at the age of six, when she watched her brothers play basketball before she decided it was time for her to give it a try. She played basketball for Insep High School in France as well as the French National team. In Mbu’s time with the national team, they placed fourth in the European Championship and won the U18 European Challenger in 2023, where she averaged seven points and three rebounds per game. During her time on the French national team, she was able to play alongside some of her fellow Rams, third-years Anaelle Dutat and Ines Debroise.

Coming off her big wins for her home country, it was time for her to start looking at collegiate programs.

“She was highly recruited,” Rhode Island Associate Head Coach Adeniyi Amadou said. “She understood what she needed and focused on that to make her decision and that’s what set her apart from the other kids.”

Mbu’s journey has been anything but conventional as she transitioned from her small town in France to the even smaller town of Kingston, Rhode Island to live out her basketball dreams.

“I came to Rhode Island because I knew some of the other players that are French too,” Mbu said. “I was really interested about how the team is [and] how the coaches are really involved [and] the work it takes to be here.”

After having to sit out for the first three games of the season due to NCAA regulations, she made her collegiate debut as a Ram against the University of Maine Black Bears on Nov. 13, tallying nine points and two blocks.

“She’s been a welcome addition to the team,” Amadou said. “Everybody is just happier because she gets to do something she really loves to do.”

Mbu’s standout performance on Nov. 23 against Brown University helped URI pull away with a close 63-58 win. Mbu had a career-high 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the win. As a 6 foot 1 inch forward, her abilities are endless.

“She’s able to play on the perimeter and inside,” Amadou said. “[Her return] adds tremendous depth and it gives us a lot of flexibility to what we’re trying to do on both ends of the floor.”

In her first-year, Mbu is averaging 7.8 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field.

“I would not say that I feel like I have pressure on me because everybody give[s] me a lot of confidence since the beginning, so I feel good,” Mbu said.

Mbu and the rest of the Rams will return to the court on Friday, Dec. 20 at home against the Saint Francis University Red Flash at 11 a.m.

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