Kalifa Sakho JuCo PF 6'10 offer

[Lobot]

Sakho is orginally from Rouen, France where he played PF for Limoges U21 club of the French league. He's currently enrolled at South Plains JC in West Texas near Lubbock. This is so far off the radar I'm not sure I believe that we've offered him. Apparently we did, sometime late in January.

None of the major services have anything on him but based on his background it's plausible that no one has scouted him at any point in the US. I do think that he actually exists and I say that because there's always social media trolls out saying they've got an offer when they don't. Sakho has a highight reel from France. Hard to tell much because I don't know what the quality level of competition is he's playing against in the video. Seems to have a really decent touch from the block and from outside. No defensive highlights though which is weird for a 6'10 guy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpVSNtr783o

[longtimefan]

Video here looks more recent, and he looks bigger and stronger.

https://twitter.com/gasojuco/status/...525644292?s=21

[GoBearcats31]

I'm weary of the JuCo route... I know others on here discussed how Huggins used to do it. But you don't see a ton of JuCo to D1 impact players anymore. I think Buzz Williams had some success at Marquette (Jimmy Butler, et al.).

But I say this having done know research and just making a blanket statement. Kid could be great for all I know!

[bearcatbret]

^^ I am not sure what happened to the JuCo pipeline. It may be that it became easier to go straight to Division 1 or maybe it was the one and done. It may be the overseas route. There is no longer a JuCo recruiting pipeline. It is no longer the 1980s or 90s. The new way is the transfer portal which is destroying college ball.

[GoBearcats31]

^^ I am not sure what happened to the JuCo pipeline. It may be that it became easier to go straight to Division 1 or maybe it was the one and done. It may be the overseas route. There is no longer a JuCo recruiting pipeline. It is no longer the 1980s or 90s. The new way is the transfer portal which is destroying college ball.

My theory, and I don't want to paint too broad of a brush, but that most of the Junior College guys wouldn't be academically eligible at the D1 level but it is so much easier to be eligible today. Not because the standards are easier, but because the pathway to a D1 scholarship is such that high school athletes these days have a very clear sense of what is necessary to qualify/there are a # of people who help ensure people qualify.

[Lobot]

You can still find quality players in JuCo although I think the herd has thinned out. The question is and has always been can they keep up academically when they get to D1, stay eligible and graduate and not kill your APR. It used to be the risk/reward was pretty decent because there was no APR. Now that we have the transfer portal, programs no longer even need to take the risk on at all, so you if you're coming from JuCo, you better be a lights out player.

[Lobot]

Per Juco Recruiting we have definitely offered Kalifa

[Rufus]

It seems to me that a juco player, if he has the ability, and you could get one after his freshman year, potentially, would have him for three years to develope and the chances of his going into the portal would be slimmer as long as coaching etc. remained the same.

[GoBearcats31]

No specific schools mentioned, but an article on him
https://247sports.com/college/basket...ho--191147116/