As Kevin Ollie and his staff continue to pursue players for the upcoming college basketball season, UConn received its first commitment from the Class of 2016 on Friday.
Mamadou Diarra, a 6-foot-8 power forward who will play at Woodstock Academy next season, announced his decision at a press conference at the school’s library and donned a UConn hat. He picked the Huskies over Virginia Commonwealth. Diarra played last season at Putnam Science Academy, a school that will close due to a lack of funding.
Diarra, originally from Queens, N.Y., is big and physical but still very raw as a basketball player. He finishes well around the basket and lists rebounding amongst his strengths. Various recruiting services have him ranked as a 2-star, 3-star or 4-star recruit, so the jury is still out as he heads into his senior season. He had made several unofficial visits to UConn during the recruiting process. His AAU team is the New York Jayhawks.
“UConn is the school I always had in mind,” Diarra said, The Hartford Courant reported.. “Coach Ollie and I have a great relationship. He’s the coach I want to play for.”
Another UConn target, 2017 guard Hamidou Diallo, will be Diarra’s teammate at Woodstock Academy next season.
UConn remains in the mix for Terry Larrier, a 6-7 wing from VCU who is transferring. Larrier visited Storrs earlier this week and is reportedly choosing between Maryland and UConn. He would have three years eligibility after sitting out one season under transfer rules. The Huskies have landed guard Jalen Adams and forward Steven Enoch, both incoming freshmen for 2015-16. UConn will also add graduate transfers Shonn Miller of Cornell and Sterling Gibbs of Seton Hall.
Speak Your Mind