MANILA, Philippines – Former De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archer Ben Mbala continues his pursuit for “better opportunities” in international basketball. 

The two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player tweeted Tuesday morning, January 30, that he was bound for a “new adventure” and a “new opportunity” accompanied by the flag of France and airplane emoji. 

New adventure, new opportunity

— thekidfromCameroon (@benmbala) January 29, 2018

According to his tweet’s replies, Mbala said that he was done with Mexico and his stint in France offered him a “better opportunity.”

Mbala also confirmed with Rappler that he will be playing with Chorales Roanne basketball club in Ligue Nationale de Basket (LNB) Pro B – a division two professional men’s basketball league in France. 

Roanne was once part of the division one league Pro A, but was demoted to Pro B after finishing 15th place in the 2013-2014 season. In the 2016-2017 season of Pro B, the club dropped to 15th place and now hopes that it would reach a higher standing with Mbala’s services. The bottom two clubs of Pro B will be relegated to division 3 league NM1. 

With his transition to the pro world of basketball, Mbala still continues to be motivated by his dream of playing in the NBA with the world’s best basketball players. (READ: Mbala eyes NBA dream, urges UAAP to stop ‘toying around’ with players’ careers)

Mbala clearly enjoyed an opportunity-filled 2017 and said he will continue to surprise his fans back in the Philippines in what there is to come in 2018. 

Cameroon Taiwan , Tunisia Brazil  Philippines and Mexico all in 2017 . More to come in 2018 #explore2018

— thekidfromCameroon (@benmbala) January 24, 2018

Mbala underwent 3 years of residency in DLSU and made his UAAP debut in Season 79, where he helped lead the Green Archers to a championship while clinching the Mythical 5 and Most Valuable Player honors.

In Season 80, Mbala missed his first two games with the Green Archers, as he donned the colors of Cameroon in the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket tournament. However, the DLSU big man still managed to top the league’s numbers with 96.5833 statistical points, meriting him the Most Valuable Player award once again.

Mbala and the Green Archers ended their UAAP campaign for a title defense with a loss to the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the finals game 3 of Season 80, but the two-time UAAP MVP was expected to return in Season 81 to finish his last year of eligibility.

The 6-foot-8 Cameroon first suited up for Fuerza Regia, one of the clubs that competes in Mexico’s top pro league Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional. – Rappler.com