UConn on Thursday officially announced the signing of Patrick School power forward Adama Sanogo, who committed on May 5.
Sanogo, who also considered Seton Hall, Maryland and Nebraska, fills the Huskies’ final open scholarship for the 2020-21 season.
The native of Mali averaged 13.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 14 games at the Patrick School and then reclassified in order to begin his college career in the fall of 2020.
“We are extremely pleased to have Adama join the UConn family,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “He’s a warrior – the kind of young, talented, physical forward who we can mold into a high-level player. He’s received great coaching at the Patrick School from Chris Chavannes and he was challenged by top competition both there and with the New York Rens.”
Here's an interview I did with new @UConnMBB F Adama Sanogo of @tps_hsbb for @freshfocusports in which he said he models his game after Joel Embiid. pic.twitter.com/jcf9DZ0GM6
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) May 5, 2020
Sanogo came to the U.S. from Mali as a sophomore and attended Our Savior New American School (Centereach, N.Y.) for two years before transferring to The Patrick School.
“Physically, Adama separates himself from everyone else,” Patrick School coach Chris Chavannes said. “He’s extremely agile – he can go right and left, go by you, over you, and overpower you. He’s a vacuum on the offensive and defensive boards. Coach Hurley is a tough coach and Adama will embrace that.”
Due to the recruiting restrictions caused by the cononavirus pandemic, Sanogo did not get a chance to visit the UConn campus in Storrs, but did Zoom calls with the coaching staff and watched virtual tours of the campus facilities.
“I picked UConn because I love UConn. I think it is a good school,” Sanogo told the media after making a verbal commitment. “Basketball-wise, I picked it because they do a good job with big men. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”
Sanogo joins an incoming basketball freshman class at UConn that also includes 6-7 Andre Jackson and 7-foot-1 Javonte Brown-Ferguson, and has been rated among the Top 20 in the country.
“Adama completes an outstanding recruiting class that we expect will put us in a position to compete at a championship level,” Hurley said. “We are looking forward to the time when we can finally bring everybody to campus.”
The 2020-21 scholarship roster will also consist of seniors Josh Carlton, Tyler Polley and Isaiah Whaley, juniors Brendan Adams, R.J. Cole, and Tyrese Martin, sophomores Akok Akok, James Bouknight, and Jalen Gaffney and redshirt freshman Richie Springs.
Cole was influential in Sanogo’s recruitment.
“I just emphasized the idea of Adama coming to be a part of something special,” Cole told ZAGSBLOG “Like Coach said, ‘It’s coming.’”
(Release via UConn)
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