Anthony: Adama Sanogo unsure if he will return to the UConn men's basketball team

[Palatine]

Adama is still improving.

He can't shoot as well as Grant Williams, but he can do a lot of things better.

Al Horford didn't shoot threes for the first seven years of his NBA career. And he an AS are the same size.

 

[bendm]

It's unfortunate that the NCAA prohibits him from receiving NIL money. But that is a fact.

it's not a fact. Oscar T changed his visa type which enabled him to earn NIL money in america as a foreign player this past season. Sanogo could do the same next year if he's still on a college roster.

 

[Kenny11]

I don’t know if he will have an nba career, but I think a team would take him the second round. He has so many great qualities as a player and person.

 

[UConnRock]

He might actually do really well, as a multi-lingual player, in the Euro and other leagues.

My thoughts also. Sister is studying in France and French is one of his 4 languages. He could make a nice living in the French leagues if the NBA doesn’t work out.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It's unfortunate that the NCAA prohibits him from receiving NIL money. But that is a fact.

It isn't the NCAA, it's the type Visa he currently has.

 

[XavierFan]

He can receive money if it's outside the US. UK set up a trip to the Bahamas for Tschiebwe and gave him his NIL money there. No reason UConn can't do the same.

 

[Kurebeach50]

Unless he won't get drafted. He can be a free agent invite any year. Just being devil's advocate. He's going to really need feedback from teams. He'd be a below the rim player in an above the rim league.

My suspicion is the NBA is telling him he doesn’t project as someone who will succeed in The League, hence his ambivalence.

 

[husky429]

Adama is in unique situation. He is ineligible for NIL due to his visa status

We've gotta stop with this myth. Foreign players can make money, it's just different. Tshiebwe made 3 million this year and isn't a US citizen. It's just a matter of setting up the deals in the home country, or in a country that doesn't have strict income rules for foreigners.

I'm guessing the Bahamas is one of those because it seems like all the foreign players are heading down there in their free time, including Sanogo.

 

[Huskyforlife]

If Adama did come back, I think he would likely play a lot more next year next to Donovan.
Main reason being that he would likely be coming back to show off a PF skillset

I don’t think it’s that complicated. Start him at the 4, find him 10 minutes per game there, 15 at center. That’s 25 minutes for Don and Sanogo, adjust as needed depending on the game. We made the Whaley/Sanogo lineup work, there shouldn’t be any excuses.

 

[temery]

This thread is about Adama, and what he's quoted as saying. Don't turn it into a discussion about any other player.

 

[aburks41]

I would love to run this team back again, but Adama should start to cash in those checks. He will make a lot of money playing basketball wherever he ends up. I still think he has a shot at the NBA. He’s already shown he can improve extremely quickly and grow his game. No reason to think he can’t continue to do that at the next level

 

[wingsfan055]

He'll earn more money through NIL deals at UConn helping UConn repeat - the team will get 24x7 exposure - than getting stuck in the D-League or hustling on a team god knows where abroad. He should stay another year, develop and be a Top 5 NBA pick his last year.

 

[UCTitleTown]

My suspicion is the NBA is telling him he doesn’t project as someone who will succeed in The League, hence his ambivalence.

Have you seen the video about Hasheem Thabeet on YouTube? I didn't realize he was the first and only lottery pick in history to get sent to the G League. There's a comment in the video where they said an NBA coach watched him practice for 5 minutes and said he wouldn't make it. Thabeet earned $16.5 million in the NBA and played overseas as well, so he should be set for life even though his NBA career didn't go as hoped. Even Andre Drummond has struggled in today's NBA game and he's a freak athlete.

 

[7774]

This thread is hilarious.

 

[ConnEd]

Is he even eligible to receive NIL money? I thought I heard one of the guys on Field of 68 saying that international players aren't allowed to receive NIL $$$ for some reason. Is that right?

 

[Fatroony5]

I don’t think it’s that complicated. Start him at the 4, find him 10 minutes per game there, 15 at center. That’s 25 minutes for Don and Sanogo, adjust as needed depending on the game. We made the Whaley/Sanogo lineup work, there shouldn’t be any excuses.

The Whaley/sanogo line up worked? They lost in the first round with that. The days of UConn playing a line up with a lack of shooters is over. They should never go back to that. The mold of the forward starting next to the big needs to be a Karaban type of player. One that can shoot, pass, put the ball on the floor, space the floor etc.

 

[HU5KIES]

Is he even eligible to receive NIL money? I thought I heard one of the guys on Field of 68 saying that international players aren't allowed to receive NIL $$$ for some reason. Is that right?

We've gotta stop with this myth. Foreign players can make money, it's just different. Tshiebwe made 3 million this year and isn't a US citizen. It's just a matter of setting up the deals in the home country, or in a country that doesn't have strict income rules for foreigners.

I'm guessing the Bahamas is one of those because it seems like all the foreign players are heading down there in their free time, including Sanogo.

 

[hooskies]

he said as much after beating gonzaga. the tweet below was incorrectly labeled. if you listen carefully sanogo clearly says "two more [games], championship [singular], and i'm outta here." really really really hope he gets drafted second round, or goes pro elsewhere, rather than the third option.

The third option worries me but I really don’t see how it makes any sense for him

 

[JB75]

If I’m Adama , why not come back and agree to play the four? it’ll add more diversity to your game-. You and clingan can be the best big man duo ever- work out an angle to get your NIL money for the year to take care of your family and next year you’ll have more of a 4 Man’s game added to your repertoire which will equal a higher draft pick. We repeat as national champs and you’re a god in ct. Sounds like a win-win across the board from my standpoint. The nba/euro leagues will always be there. Enjoy college now. you have from age 22 to 40 to play professionally- What’s the urgency ? What’s the negatives on staying ? Just my selfish perspective. Lol

 

[HuskyHawk]

He can receive money if it's outside the US. UK set up a trip to the Bahamas for Tschiebwe and gave him his NIL money there. No reason UConn can't do the same.

They did. Sanogo and Johnson both went to the Bahamas for that reason. It's not the NCAA, it's the US Government. They don't have a Visa for that purpose.

 

[ucp990411]

With his work ethic NBA teams will regret not taking a 2nd round flyer on him.

 

[Fishy]

There's no downside to him coming back. I think the NIL situation with change for foreign kids and I do not buy that his stock has peaked. He's vastly better than he was last year.

 

[How Sway?!]

Even if he doesn't make it in the NBA, he can make decent money in the euro league. Shabazz had similar questions regarding athleticism/role and is now killing it in Italy.

 

[Inyatkin]

If I’m Adama , why not come back and agree to play the four?

Shades of Kevin Freeman coming back off a title to play the three. Went swimmingly.

 

[Rico444]

Adama needs to do what's best for him, and sharing the court with Clingan (who is going to play more minutes next year no matter what) is not what's best for him. I would not begrudge him at all if he isn't playing here next year, especially not after what he just did for us.

 

[bendm]

I don’t think it’s that complicated. Start him at the 4, find him 10 minutes per game there, 15 at center. That’s 25 minutes for Don and Sanogo, adjust as needed depending on the game. We made the Whaley/Sanogo lineup work, there shouldn’t be any excuses.

we'd have 3 or 4 non-shooters in that starting lineup any way you slice it. that would be a much worse shooting team than last year. ideally you only have 2 non-shooters in the lineup like this year.

 

[HailUConn]

We've gotta stop with this myth. Foreign players can make money, it's just different. Tshiebwe made 3 million this year and isn't a US citizen. It's just a matter of setting up the deals in the home country, or in a country that doesn't have strict income rules for foreigners.

I'm guessing the Bahamas is one of those because it seems like all the foreign players are heading down there in their free time, including Sanogo.

It’s not a myth at all. It’s his visa type (foreign student at US). I’m not an expert but it usually means that He cannot have any earned income outside the campus. As far as what Kentucky did, it’s no surprise there, isn’t it? They have been above the law for decades with impunity.

 

[superjohn]

Adama needs to do what's best for him, and sharing the court with Clingan (who is going to play more minutes next year no matter what) is not what's best for him. I would not begrudge him at all if he isn't playing here next year, especially not after what he just did for us.

That's exactly where I stand. I want what's best for Adama and his family. If Adama and Clingan are both 100% on board with a 20 minute split and want to run it back to go for the repeat while it makes sense for Adama financially then that would obviously be awesome. Adama needs to do what's best for Adama, he already won us a national championship and will end up on the wall.

 

[bendm]

It’s not a myth at all. It’s his visa type (foreign student at US). I’m not an expert but it usually means that He cannot have any earned income outside the campus. As far as what Kentucky did, it’s no surprise there, isn’t it? They have been above the law for decades with impunity.

changing visa type is not above the law

"tshiebwe found yet another clever workaround to his own limitations. He has applied to have his visa switched from student status to the type granted to international celebrities, which would eliminate all his current NIL restrictions." if oscar could do it so can adama.

Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe gets down to NIL business in the Bahamas

Unable to fully cash in back in the U.S., the Wildcats' star is hoping to make $500,000 in endorsements during UK's foreign tour.

theathletic.com

 

[Hunt for 7]

Out of everything Adama has done in the tourney, the catch, dribble and drive layup from the right wing against Miami was the most critical skill shown which translates to the NBA.

I think he can do it. He is going to have to lose about 20-25 lbs kind of remake his body. I for one can see him playing at the next level if he can be half a step quicker laterally and develops a real jump shot. With his work ethic he can make that happen. Question is where can he make that transformation best. Or he could just go play overseas and make what he can. But China and Russia no longer being options I think the choices are more limited. Just guessing on that last part.