ousmane konate

[mcglotherirvin]

according to the marquette web page, konate, mizzou's biggest recruit - bigger than grimes or kleiza - has backed out on his commitment and will very likely end up at charlotte. wouldn't be surprised if some of these guys are getting afraid of potential probation and big time trouble at mizzou. apparently this guy will only be playing in college for a year or two and then will be on to the nba, but it will be nice to see him at charlotte if that happens.

also the marquette people are saying sebastian telfair, cousin of stefan marbury, and highly regarded as the best pg in the nation will be committing to louisville. man this conference is gonna be good if it stays together - dirty - but very talented.

[SluSignGuy]

I checked the message boards that I could find. And I could have honestly missed it, but could you provide links. Since I haven't found any info like this at all anywhere.

Steve

[Basketbill]

Konate has been included in this years recruiting class for Mizzou, including the rankings that have them with a top ten class, BUT way back in november or december he was reassigned to the 2004 recruiting class, meaning they made him a "junior in high school standing". I have never seen the Post report. Now Mizzou still has a fine recruiting class.....it just does not include Konate.

PS I hear Kleizia did not sign a LOI with mizzou, I think his decision came after the deadline. I wonder if he was instructed not to in case sanctions occur, or will it just be dumb luck for him...to have the option to leave.

[Basketbill]

January 14, 2003

Konate Will Repeat at Laurinburg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Russ Blake

It's been a long strange trip for Ousmane Konate, but the beefy 6-8, 265 pound power forward from the Senegal has found a new home this winter.

Initially, Konate was expected to finish up this year at Bridgton and enroll next fall at Missouri. However, upon his transfer into Laurinburg, he was reclassified as a junior. That means he will do another year at Laurinburg following the 2002-2003 campaign, and won't enroll at Missouri until the fall of 2004.

"Ousmane left Bridgton for academic reasons," Laurinburg coach Rolando De La Barrera said. "He needs to boost his core grades and get his test score."

Konate appears to have gained considerable weight since the last time we evaluated him at the 2001 NBA Players Association Camp, he has some good power moves, including a drop step.

Konate is expected to finish out this season with De La Barrera's Institute team, and will likely switch to Head Coach Chris Chaney's Laurinburg Prep squad next winter. Laurinburg has three different squads -- an Institute team, a Prep team and a Charter team.

[Basketbill]

It's tremendously important for a recruit to think highly of a program during the recruiting process, but when the program has the kid's coach in their corner, the sky's the limit.

That said, the Niners are in the mix with Ousmane Konate, a beefy 6'8, 265 pound power forward originally from Senegal and Troy Mathis, a 6'0 point guard, both of which hail from Laurinburg Charter High School.

According to Larinburg assistant Jay Couch the Niners are critically close to landing the pair.

"Charlotte is definitely close to getting them," said Couch. "I've known the Charlotte staff for years now from back when Rodney (White) was here and we just love how Coach Lutz and his guys develop players. We have a great relationship with Coach Moxley and them. We're gonna do everything we can to get them to Charlotte."

The name Ousmane Konate may come as a surprise to some, as the big man had previously given Coach Quinn Snyder and the Mizzou faithful a verbal. However, Konate has since re-opened his recruitment and it looks like the Niners may be the team to beat.

RivalsHoops recruiting expert Mike Sullivan described Konate as "a big, strong, and muscular forward, can run the floor like a guard and is very skilled around the basket," and Couch concurs.

"He'll be a pro in two years," said Couch. "If he comes to Charlotte it wil be for about two years. He's the most physically gifted player in high school. I think he would kill Al Jefferson. He's way to big and strong for Dwight Howard because he's 270 pounds. He just gets people because he's so big and can shoot threes. They think the last thing he can do is drive on them and they end up finding out that is what he loves to do."

"Troy is built like and ox. He's about 6'2 now and is lightning quick. He's got a pure jumpshot, just a really good player."

Mathis has also shown interest in Xavier, East Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma, Florida State, Clemson and Seton Hall.

"When school starts we're gonna get them down there for an official," said Couch. "Charlotte is strong for them."

[mcglotherirvin]

http://marquette.rivals.com/forum.asp?sid=...id=1017&style=1

[lefty]

from premium content. Konate is not doing well with the English language and is thought to be planning to skip college and apply for the NBA draft.The article singing the praises of Charlotte was written by a Charlotte fan on their site. Also, Matt Shaw, in a recent article is trying to decide whether to accept or to wait on offers from "high" majors.

[Quality Is Job 1]

That's too bad. It means he's bought into the local media barrage against SLU.

It's a common misconception, but being mediocre doesn't make a school mid-major. Many people believe SLU is a mid-major school just because it hasn't been one of the most accoplished and decorated schools in the country. These same people look at the Big East non-football schools (Georgetown, Villanova, Seton Hall, St. John's, and Providence) and think big-time, even though those schools haven't really been any more accoplished or decorated than SLU in the past 10 years.

[kshoe]

First of all, who knows if Shaw has actually been offered. P-Diddy is generally right on stuff but the buddy of his could be wrong.

Secondly, who knows if when the article was written SLU had offered.

Thirdly, who knows if the term "high-majors" was Shaw's or the writers. Matt could have said "I have offers from SLU, SIU, SMS, etc. but am still waiting to hear from a couple others." The author could interpret that as high-majors.

Personally, I think Billiken fans have ben pretty arrogant when it comes to his recruitment with statements like "surely he'll pick us over SIUC", and "he isn't CUSA material" and a basic assumption that if we offer him he'll certainly accept. Quite frankly a school like SIUC that has been hot on his trail since day 1, has been dancing the last 2 years, and hasn't waited till just now to offer has a lot to offer. Hopefully we haven't blown this one.

[Schasz]

Seems to me that I read early on that Coach Soderberg either visited Shaw or had him/his parents too over to the SLU campus. Coach is pretty close mouthed about his recruting as to specifics and I like it that way. I'm not too sure that we could surmise that we have blown anything without knowing all of the particulars, IMHO.

[p diddy]

I repeat. the scholarship offer to matt shaw has been made. Whether he accepts or not, we'll have to see.

to him, slu is a high major because of the conference they presently play in. (obviously, this could change in the future with realignment). he made an unoffical visit to campus a couple of months ago.

all of the valley schools that have been recruited him (like siuc and creighton) have offered a long time ago. slu is the first (and only at the present) high major to extend the offer. there are a few others that are nibbling around like stanford and virginia because he has an act score in the high 20's. i don't think they've offered.

bad boyz for life