French product Yohan Traore's recruitment is surging
A couple weeks ago at the Exposure Breakout event in Atlanta, Yohan Traore took the court for Southern Assault and had the type of dominant weekend that opened the eyes of college basketball coaches from coast to coast.
Traore, a 6-foot-11, 227-pound center, came to the United States seven months ago from France to play at Prolific Prep this season. He’s a really good athlete and a strong finisher inside. He’ll block shots and battle on the boards. He even showed that he’s comfortable playing outside of the paint as well.
Kansas, TCU and UC-Santa Barbara have jumped in with scholarship offers. Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Cincinnati, Rutgers and Texas have started to show interest.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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IN HIS OWN WORDS
Kansas: “They have a really good program. I don’t know much about NCAA schools because I’m from overseas. They have just said they want to win another championship and they want me on the team to develop me.”
TCU: “They have said a lot of the same things. They want to develop me and really want me on the team. They think they can help me get better.”
On schools he’d like to get an offer from: “Gonzaga would be one. I have a friend up there. I’ve watched Baylor a little bit this year, too. Auburn is another one.”
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RIVALS' REACTION
With his recruitment being so fresh, it’s hard to peg favorites in Traore’s recruitment as his list will likely expand in a hurry when college coaches can get back on the road and see him in person as opposed to a livestream. Given that he’s not from the United States, he said he’s open to going anywhere for school as long as it is the best fit for his long-term development. Look for Traore to make a big jump into the next update of the Rivals150 for the 2022 class.