NCAA Basketball: Analyzing the top 8 teams for 2023 forward Assane Diop
Ohio State Buckeyes
With E.J. Liddell gone, the Buckeyes’ frontcourt features Zed Key and incoming freshman center Felix Okpara. The backcourt has gotten a lot of attention on the recruiting trail but expect the frontcourt to be featured in the 2023 class, already having landed four-star center Austin Parks.
Ohio State will certainly land a power forward and Diop would be an ideal pickup in the class. The program under Chris Holtmann is a consistent contender so he would be on a winning team while there, and also have a real shot at getting into the rotation as a freshman.
Seton Hall Pirates
New head coach Shaheen Holloway was able to bring with him KC Ndefo, a quality big man from Saint Peter’s who was the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. While Diop doesn’t have the same shot-blocking and interior skills that Ndefo has right now, he could easily develop them under this head coach and fit a system that clearly prefers size and physicality.
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Diop in the Big East would be a nice fit and with Ndefo and Alexis Yetna both leaving after next season, he could very well be a starter on the 2023-24 roster. It’s a sneaky option for the prospect to consider and after the big March Coach Holloway had, is an appealing coach to want to play for.