One of the biggest mysteries for Danny Sprinkle and the Washington Huskies this summer has been the status of Dominique Diomande. The international prospect, who is originally from the Ivory Coast, has played professionally in France for the last three years before committing to Washington over the summer.
The 6-foot-7 Diomande looks like he can make an impact at both ends of the floor with his length and athleticism on defense and ability as a slasher on offense after averaging 16 points per game last season.
However, Diomande has yet to be added to Washington’s roster, and there were some rumors surrounding his eligibility for the upcoming season. On Friday, ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Jonathan Givony offered an explanation for the silence on Diomande in their rankings of college basketball’s top international newcomers.
The pair ranked Diomande among their honorable mentions of international newcomers, stating that he is slated to join the team in December and will pursue academic eligibility.
While that might be a challenge after being in a very different situation for the last few years, it may not dissuade Sprinkle from going after prospects in the future, especially if Diomande can become eligible and turn into the contributor he’s projected to for the Huskies.
“With colleges offering significant resources, as well as the platform and exposure of the sport, coming to play in the United States is growing in popularity,” the pair wrote about the influx of international talent.
“College coaches have also enjoyed loosened restrictions and increased access to FIBA tournaments and club-team practices and events, allowing them to watch international prospects in high-level settings.”
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