It's been asked about in a host of different threads and rather than track it down and answer the questions that pop up, I thought I'd start a thread devoted to the possibility that Mamadi Diakite will enroll early at UVa. This way, everyone is on the same page.
Let's start with what we know: On Wednesday, a day after the four-star PF committed to the Cavaliers, Blue Ridge School put out this release:
Note that it mentions being in consultation with the NCAA and UVa compliance. That's the key at this point. Diakite has, as the release mentioned, been working to make early enrollment a possibility. The basketball team is ready for him since the Wahoos have a scholarship to use.
The question to answer is whether he'll be able to get everything done in time (that part is expected) and then if the powers that be will give him the green light.
According to a source I spoke with today, that is still where it sits. A possibility. Everybody is working to make it happen but this is, after all, UVa. The process is as important on the academic side as on the basketball side. As such, there are details to work out and there has been no official word (despite some reports in the press that it made it sound definite). The fact that no press release has come from UVa should pretty much make that clear.
The secondary question we've all been discussing has been if Diakite gets the course work done and gains early enrollment and if the NCAA signs off (let's be honest: The NCAA tends to hate when kids change up plans late like this), will he play in 2015-2016?
According to our sources, that answer is still TBD but the likelihood is that he would redshirt. Not only was he unable to take part in summer workouts with the team (last year Wilkins put on 25 pounds between when he arrived and the start of practice in the fall) but he also hasn't played organized basketball in the states for very long. Asking him to enroll, get adjusted to college life, and be physically and mentally ready to play for a preseason Top 10 team without summer workouts is a tall, tall task. And let's not forget this is the NCAA we're talking about here. It's possible that UVa gives him the go ahead, he enrolls, and then we wait for a couple of months while the NCAA decides on his status.
As we hear more, we'll pass it along. Suffice to say, though, that there are still some details that need to be worked out before we can say that he's absolutely coming for 2015-2016.
Let's start with what we know: On Wednesday, a day after the four-star PF committed to the Cavaliers, Blue Ridge School put out this release:
Note that it mentions being in consultation with the NCAA and UVa compliance. That's the key at this point. Diakite has, as the release mentioned, been working to make early enrollment a possibility. The basketball team is ready for him since the Wahoos have a scholarship to use.
The question to answer is whether he'll be able to get everything done in time (that part is expected) and then if the powers that be will give him the green light.
According to a source I spoke with today, that is still where it sits. A possibility. Everybody is working to make it happen but this is, after all, UVa. The process is as important on the academic side as on the basketball side. As such, there are details to work out and there has been no official word (despite some reports in the press that it made it sound definite). The fact that no press release has come from UVa should pretty much make that clear.
The secondary question we've all been discussing has been if Diakite gets the course work done and gains early enrollment and if the NCAA signs off (let's be honest: The NCAA tends to hate when kids change up plans late like this), will he play in 2015-2016?
According to our sources, that answer is still TBD but the likelihood is that he would redshirt. Not only was he unable to take part in summer workouts with the team (last year Wilkins put on 25 pounds between when he arrived and the start of practice in the fall) but he also hasn't played organized basketball in the states for very long. Asking him to enroll, get adjusted to college life, and be physically and mentally ready to play for a preseason Top 10 team without summer workouts is a tall, tall task. And let's not forget this is the NCAA we're talking about here. It's possible that UVa gives him the go ahead, he enrolls, and then we wait for a couple of months while the NCAA decides on his status.
As we hear more, we'll pass it along. Suffice to say, though, that there are still some details that need to be worked out before we can say that he's absolutely coming for 2015-2016.
