[1][2][3] She previously played with Polfa in the Torell Basket Liga in Poland.

Traore was born in Dakar, Senegal to Seydu Traoré and Bineta Camara on 27 July 1983.

After graduating high school, Traore attended Dixie State College of Utah for 2 years.

In the two years at Dixie State, Traore scored 12.3 points per game in her first season and became a second-team junior college women's basketball All-American, averaging over 21 ppg (6th in her division of basketball nationally).

Traore led Purdue to a 28–8 record before losing to the University of North Carolina in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.