The Team

Joel Jean-Baptiste is a former professional basketball player from France, who played in Europe and in the US for 15 years. He has been involved with several basketball programs in France, the U.S and China. Joel is particularly good at developing basketball skills, building confidence and teaching the mental aspects of the game.

The game of basketball is about teamwork, as team goals are projected, one should devised personal goals to help the team get there. I believe the game can help develop the work ethic necessary to succeed in life.

Thomas Albenque is a certified trainer from France. He won the 2009 FFBB National 2 Championship with his team at Sorgues, France where he played for 3 years before moving to China. Coach Tom has been involved with several basketball programs in France & USA before joining the coaching staff of Basketball Stars United. He built his coaching background working with children of all ages at TBA the biggest French basketball camp.

I believe that the way you behave on the court is a reflection of who you are in life. When I teach basketball techniques, I want to make sure that students understand values such as respect, sportmanship and champion mentality.

Yokia Fuller started playing girls AAU basketball and was a team member of Nike’s Elite Team, Central Valley, California. She also played for the South Carolina State Bulldog, where she started for 3 years and was named ALL MEAC team 2 years in the row. Yokia has experience coaching girls AAU basketball in California and the Fudan Men’s International basketball in China; together they won the Fudan Cup in 2011.

I have been involved with basketball for as long as I can remember and the game will always be part of my life. It is my desire to help develop grassroots basketball and start my own version of girls AAU basketball in China.

Yo is a former basketball player from Canada.  He is a certified Level 1 basketball coach and has been perfecting is coaching technique for about 15 years. He joined the BSU roster early 2011 to improve the coaching team style of instruction: Coach Yo believes in a pedagogical approach to learning the game of basketball.

While assisting all players in the improvement of their level of play, it is also my desire to guide them to improve not only on the court but also off of it as an active contributing member of our society.

Coach Mars is a graduate student from Shanghai Jian Feng University. He is a great additional to the BSU team, mainly because of his excellent communication skills along with his ability to coach. On the court, Mars enjoyed basketball because the game brings people of different background together. Mars played basketball for 6 years in high-school Zhabei District Junior Basketball team. 

I am learning a lot from our international coaching team. Our dedication to children and the game of basketball is unparalleled. We use basketball as a platform to make a difference in the lives of young people from all background and that is refreshing. I am proud to contribute in the development of this great sport in China.