Who Are Lola Pendande’s Parents? Digging Deeper Into the 24-Year-Old’s Ethnicity Who’s Representing Spain at Paris Olympics

“The stage is set. The lights are on. And it’s time for the Champions to take over” As the Paris Olympics approaches, athletes have started preparing for the quadrennial event. Many women basketball players, who will be representing their respective countries, have learned the tricks of the trade while playing college basketball in the US or the WNBA. One such star who can give a major challenge to Team USA is Lola Pendande.

The Spanish basketball star has made a name for herself while playing in the USA as a college athlete. But not many know about her ethnicity and her parents who are the prime force behind her success. Let’s take a look at them.

Lola Pendande carries forward African genes

Lola Pendande was born as María Dolores “Lola” Pendande Mendes in Spain on March 29, 2000. She was born in El Ejido, a small locality just 32 km away from Almeria. The 24-year-old grew up in balling tradition and is currently the center for the Spanish National team. She also won the silver medal in EuroBasket in 2023 when it was held in Israel/Slovenia.

As per the Utah Athletic site, Pendande’s parents are named Joaquim Pendande Faie and Fatu Mendes. She is not of Spanish ethnicity, but instead, she is a Bissau-Guinean. The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa that was a part of the Kaabu and Mali empires.

The 6 feet 4 inch star played for the Ribet Academy in Los Angeles where she made a name for herself and was noticed by many colleges. Her height and strength are the major reasons that have propelled her so far. She also plied her trade first for the University of Utah and then for the University of Miami.

Lola Pendande shows her full potential

During her freshman year with Utah in 2019-20, Pendande averaged 10.8 points with 5.9 rebounds per game. She played the role of a conventional center and did not do much with three-pointers, however, she performed decently with field goals and free throws. Next year she continued to play for Utah as she participated in 9 games with an average playtime of 15 minutes per game. But her performance dropped to 4.7 points per game with 4.1 rebounds per match.

As per the Miami official site, Lola Pendande chose the University of Miami because the city reminded her of her home. Her friendly equation with the coaching staff also played a major role in her decision. She played 34 games during her junior year with Miami and started in every single game. She added 7.1 points per game along with 4.9 rebounds per game. Therefore she tried to extend her calibre and be a vital part of the team.

Her senior year also saw significant trust in the 24-year-old as she started in all 35 games. Pendande had an average of 8 points per game with 4.4 rebounds. All this helped her make a name for herself even internationally as she played for CB Santfeliuenc. Hopefully for her fans when she battles in the Paris Olympics, she will continue to justify the trust placed in her.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.