Kansas has landed its second blue chip power forward in the class of 2015. Coach Bill Self got a commitment from Cheick Diallo on Tuesday afternoon, a 6’9 big man ranked No. 7 overall in ESPN’s class rankings. Diallo chose the Jayhawks over St. John’s, Kentucky, Iowa State and Pittsburgh.
5-star power forward Cheick Diallo picks Kansas over Kentucky and Iowa State
The Jayhawks will have one of the deepest front courts in the country next season.
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Diallo joins fellow big man Carlton Bragg as the only two players in Self’s 2015 class. He also joins a deep and experienced front court that will be led by senior Perry Ellis and also includes senior Jamari Traylor and junior Landen Lucas. Diallo and Bragg are essentially the replacement for Cliff Alexander, who declared for the NBA draft after just one year in Lawrence.
Diallo is one of the most fluid athletes in the class for a front court player. He has great defensive potential because of his combination of speed and length. Diallo was named the MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game with 18 points and 10 rebounds and was the East team’s MVP at the Jordan Brand Classic with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Diallo played high school ball at Long Island’s Our Savior New American after coming to the United States from the West African nation of Mali. He’s a high energy player who should provide defense and rebounding as soon as he enters college basketball.
For more on Diallo, read our breakdown on how he would fit in with each program he was considering.
SB Nation presents: The best of the 2015 NCAA Tournament
See More:
