Influencer
The Basketball Comedian: How Soufiane Bernoukh Built A Brand From Court Failures
Soufiane Bernoukh turns missed shots into punch lines. The basketball player-turned-content creator has built a following by finding humor in the athletic struggles that many players face, but few discuss openly. His basketball comedy videos – including a memorable Ramadan-themed trick-shot compilation – have catapulted him from class clown to entrepreneur with multiple business ventures.
When it comes to his distinctive approach to content, Soufiane explains his creative philosophy in simple terms: “They say comedy is pain, so I just use my pain from the trials and tests I went through in basketball and want people to relate to it, but in a funny way.”
This transformation of personal setbacks into shareable humor has become the foundation for a growing business that includes content creation across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, a clothing line called Halal Wrist, and Musbiz, a platform connecting Muslim entrepreneurs.
Finding Humor in the Pain of the Game
For Soufiane, comedy wasn’t just a career choice; it was an intrinsic part of his identity from an early age. “I was always a comedian at heart. I was even voted as the class clown in high school, so being funny was something in my blood,” he recalls.
Basketball entered his life during high school and continued through college, but it wasn’t always a smooth journey. Rather than becoming discouraged by the challenges he faced, Soufiane discovered a way to transform those experiences into content that resonated with others.
“I feel like if I can make people laugh with something that I’m good at, then it would work, and I’ve always been funny and good at basketball,” Soufiane says, highlighting the natural synergy between his twin passions.
The Breakthrough Moment
While many creators spend years searching for their defining moment, Soufiane can pinpoint exactly when he realized the potential of his content.
“The first video that really changed my mindset and showed me that I should take everything seriously was when I did my trick-shot video, but a Ramadan edition where I would shoot behind the back and used Muslim and basketball analogies in each scene,” he shares.
This video demonstrated the power of combining cultural identity with athletic skill and humor, a formula that would become central to Soufiane’s personal brand.
Diversifying Content and Creative Process
As his audience grew, Soufiane recognized the importance of versatility in content creation. “We developed our content by becoming something like Swiss Army knives in our craft and not being limited to just one thing,” he explains. “We can do comedy skits, we can do trick shots. We can also do mini hoops. Each content gives you a different type of feeling, which allows us to expand our reach with how we connect with our audience.”
Behind the scenes, Soufiane balances careful planning with spontaneity. “Usually we script our ideas a week before, and I also take notes down for future ideas to build on,” he says of his preparation.
However, the real magic happens during filming: “Most of the time when we start shooting, we start improvising, and most of the guys that we shoot with we grew up with, so we have a natural chemistry.” He credits this blend of preparation and in-the-moment creativity, combined with relationships among collaborators, as contributing to the real feel that audiences connect with.
Rather than relying solely on performance metrics to predict success, Soufiane takes a more intuitive approach to content development. “I don’t know how the content will hit the audience until I post, but once I see it’s engaging, I try to build more on those ideas or that concept.”
Finding His Niche and Success
Establishing a clear identity presented a major challenge for Soufiane in the busy world of social media content.
“The hardest part was knowing your niche and building on it, because coming into the game, I didn’t really have a particular niche,” he says. “As time went by and I stayed consistent, I figured out who I was, and once you know who you are, you just have to stay true to your roots.”
When evaluating the performance of his content, Soufiane looks beyond simple metrics, such as view counts. “I like to look at the metrics and views and see if it reaches different demographics because the numbers don’t lie,” he explains. “Once you utilize your insights, you can tap into different demographics and see what people really like so you can capitalize on your content.”
He challenges common assumptions about what constitutes success: “Sometimes views can be overrated, because you can take a video down and repost it and it does better than when you first posted it.”
Instead, Soufiane emphasizes metrics that many creators overlook: “Something that I feel people undervalue is looking at your non-followers and also the regions where your content is being shown and trying to get out there to collab or reach an audience in different states or countries.”
Expanding into Business
As Soufiane’s digital influence grew, he channeled his success into entrepreneurial ventures that reflect his identity and values.
His first major business expansion was Halal Wrist, a clothing brand that merges fashion with cultural expression. “The clothing we try to create at Halal Wrist is something that we really put our heart into, and each piece tells a story about us while also trying to be fashionable and connect with what’s in style,” he says. “We also try to cater to all of our customers while staying true to our identity.”
Building on this success, Soufiane later developed Musbiz, a platform designed specifically for Muslim businesses and professionals.
“We are always looking to give back to the community and always aiming to become a staple in our community,” he explains. “With Musbiz, our goal was to create a platform for Muslim businesses, professionals, and users to bridge a gap and provide them with a space to connect with people that share the same core values.”
Through this initiative, Soufiane is helping to build resources that support other entrepreneurs in his community, extending his impact beyond his own content and products.
The Business Challenges and Principles
Managing these multiple ventures simultaneously has been difficult, Soufiane shares. “The biggest challenge is trying to juggle multiple things at once, because it can get overwhelming, especially when it’s a small team doing all the work behind the scenes,” he explains. “It really takes a lot of time and effort, and you have to cater to each part of the business.”
Despite these obstacles, Soufiane maintains a clear focus on his vision rather than getting distracted by competition. “We don’t look at the competition, we just put in the work and stay true to our brand,” he says.
This philosophy extends to his approach to brand partnerships and business opportunities, where values take precedence over potential profit. “Yes, we had to turn down certain opportunities because they didn’t align with our morals and values,” he reveals. “I never look at anything as a loss when you’re staying true to yourself.”
Handling Recognition
Despite his growing success, Soufiane acknowledges the ups and downs. “Our toughest learning curve was not getting the recognition that we deserve and realizing that the game is not about what you know, it’s who you know,” he says, highlighting the networking reality of the creator economy that many newcomers fail to anticipate.
Nevertheless, Soufiane maintains a positive outlook on his career path: “I love doing content, so this is something that I do out of love, and it has happened to create a lane for me to make a living. They say, ‘Do what you love and you never have to work a day in your life.’” This intrinsic motivation helps sustain him through the inevitable challenges.
Soufiane’s career has also received validation from one of the music industry’s biggest stars. “One of the most unexpected things that happened was when Drake [Canadian rapper, songwriter, and actor Aubrey Drake] followed me, and he liked our content,” he shares. “That really meant a lot and showed me that you never know who’s watching.”
Visions and Personal Insights
Soufiane shares major plans for expanding his business ventures, particularly his fashion brand. “I’m excited to build Halal Wrist in its entirety. I want it to be a global brand, so whatever it takes to get there, we will do,” he states.
At the same time, he recognizes the importance of maintaining a diversified approach in the creator economy: “I think in the field of things now, you have to do a little bit of everything.”
For aspiring creators and entrepreneurs, Soufiane offers guidance based on his own experiences: “Your dreams are bigger than your dreams, so as long as you’re staying on your path, you’re gonna get to your destination. You might take a detour, but at the end of the day, you’ll get to where you wanna get to, just stay consistent.”
Beyond his public persona as a basketball comedian and entrepreneur, Soufiane maintains personal interests that might surprise his audience. “I really like going to the gym, collecting Pokémon cards, and spending time with my mom,” he reveals.
Soufiane’s path from class clown to content creator and entrepreneur illustrates the potential of the creator economy when sincerity, consistency, and cultural values come together. “Don’t give up on your dream,” Soufiane advises those looking to follow a similar path. “Believe in what you think will work and go all out for it.”
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