The Côte d'Ivoire national basketball team, known as the Elephants, is a proud and physically imposing West African squad with a history of challenging the continent's best. They compete in FIBA Africa zone, with home games played at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. The team operates under the Fédération Ivoirienne de Basketball and adopted the elephant as its mascot, symbolizing the nation's strength and the power of its wildlife. The Elephants' key era arrived in the early 1980s when they emerged as a true African force. They captured their first and only AfroBasket championship in 1981, a landmark achievement for Ivorian basketball. That team, known for its toughness and athleticism, defeated powerhouse nations to claim the gold medal, a moment that remains the pinnacle of the program's history. They added two more silver medals in 1983 and 1985, establishing a golden generation. In the modern era, Côte d'Ivoire has remained a competitive side, often qualifying for AfroBasket and making deep runs, including a fourth-place finish in 2009 and 2013. The current team blends experienced campaigners with younger talent, maintaining a style that emphasizes physicality in the paint and aggressive defense. While consistently in the mix, breaking back into the top three has been a recent challenge. The fan base is vocal and supportive, creating a lively home-court advantage. In short, the Ivorian Elephants are a historic champion and a perennial competitor, always capable of an upset with their powerful play.