Mohamed Zilaal

rdf:langString Mohamed Zilaal

rdf:langString Mohamed Zilaal

rdf:langString Mohamed Zilaal

rdf:langString Male', Maldives

rdf:langString Retired Maldives professional basketball player

rdf:langString Maldives National Basketball League

rdf:langString Maldivian

rdf:langString Zila

rdf:langString Majeedhiyya School

rdf:langString Mohamed Zilaal (born April 27, 1985) is a Maldivian retired basketball player. He is regarded by both peers and contemporaries as the greatest Maldivian player of his generation. In 16 professional seasons, Zilaal accumulated more championship medals (along with star point guard Ali Fazlee) and individual achievement awards than any other player in history. He also retired with the most starts, minutes and points for the Maldives senior men's national basketball team, including captaining the team to its best result to date in international competition – a silver medal in the 2016 Qualification Tournament in Bangalore, India. He made his international debut while still in school. Standing at 5 ft 8 in (1.72 m), Zilaal played both point guard and shooting guard.Mohamed Zilaal, commonly known as Zila, was scouted heavily while still in secondary school in Majeediyyaa School in Male'. His early mentorship and coaching was overseen by the then Maldives coaches Shiyam and Ilyas (in school) and Supun Wimal of Sri Lanka (in the national pool). After playing one tournament for Unitours, he joined Victory Sports Club, with whom he won the national tournament 6 times out of 8 seasons. He was a vital cog in the Maldives senior men's national basketball team from his final year in school all the way up to his retirement in 2019. After playing one successful seasons for the then newly formed T-Rex Basketball Club, Zilaal (together with 3 of his club and national team colleagues) transferred to then newly promoted Red Line Club (RLC). He would go on to spend four successful seasons at RLC before joining Kings Basketball Club upon its formation in 2017. Throughout his 3-year stint at Kings BC, he would captain the team in every single season, while adding to his record breaking collection of winners' and top 5 players' medals. Immediately after leading Kings BC to its first National Basketball Tournament success in 2018, Zila announced that the 2019 season would be his 16th and final as a player, both for club and country. In his final season, he would end his domestic career by carrying Kings BC to an undefeated triumph in the MBA Championship, followed by a packed schedule of international tournaments and tours, representing his country as captain in every single game until he hung up his sneakers in December 2019. From the early stages of his playing career, Zilaal was heavily involved in the youth development programmes of the Maldives Basketball Association (MBA), through which he completed FIBA Coaching certifications and refresher courses, including a Level-2 licenses, and continued to train children and youths, including assignments as Head Coach of Iskandar School in domestic interschool tournaments, as well as through the Ballers Academy, of which he was a co-founder. He continues to be active in coaching even after his 2019 retirement.