BATON ROUGE – Tyrus Thomas, a former LSU and NBA star, along with renown LSU sports psychologist Dr. LaKeitha Poole are taking part in a 10-day strategic mission to elevate the basketball ecosystem in the East African country of Burundi.
The Federation de Basketball du Burundi (FEBABU) announced the 10-day strategic mission, set for May 21-31, marking a historic collaboration between FEBABU and Small Talk Performance LAB to build a sustainable, professionalized future for Burundian athletes.
The visiting delegation features world-class expertise that brings together elite athletics, mental performance and international media.
Thomas, who starred for LSU in the 2006 Southeastern Conference championship and NCAA Final Four season, was the fourth overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft and played eight seasons in the NBA. He was the 2006 SEC Freshman of the Year. Thomas played 402 NBA games for Chicago, Charlotte and Memphis.
Thomas received the Jefferson Award in 2010 for Outstanding Public Service among professional athletes for his work in Service and Philanthropy. The award is considered the Nobel Prize for public service.
Thomas is a certified leadership coach and serves as a consultant helping organizations align mindset and culture.
Dr. Poole is an Assistant Athletic Director in sports psychology and counseling at LSU. She has also worked with the Golden State Warriors. She brings specialized clinical expertise in mental performance and equitable care. She has served in the athletic department for over a decade.
Also joining the efforts is Patrick Bizindavyi, an accredited NBA reporter for the Toronto Raptors who will be representing the FEBABU. Since 2019, he has served as a vital bridge between North American standards and Burundian talent, organizing annual camps and fostering international partnerships.
The mission aims to address critical challenges in the current landscape of Burundi, where the sport remains semi-professional and lacks adequate infrastructure. The collaborative vision includes a bold 5-year objective to field a national team composed of 100% home-grown Burundian talent.
