Adama Sanogo, the face of the UConn men’s basketball NCAA championship run this spring, is leaving the program to pursue an NBA career.
Sanogo, a junior, will forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the NBA Draft. The news was first reported Thursday by journalist Adam Zagoria in a tweet.
It was later confirmed by Sanogo in an Instagram post.
“Thank you UConn,” Sanogo said in his post. “Thank you to the best fans in the country that have supported me from the first day I got to Storrs. Thank you to the incredible support and guidance from Coach Hurley and the staff. They invested the time and energy to making me a better player and person.
“Most importantly thank you to my family, and support system that has always allowed me to focus on reaching my dreams and have sacrificed so much for me. I am so excited for the next stop on my journey and proud to announce that I will declare for the 2023 NBA Draft and will stay focused on the process and giving myself every chance possible to hear my name called. I will always cherish my time at UConn and will always be my home away from home.”
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward/center has been projected at best as a second-round prospect, although his stock may have been enhanced by his NCAA Tournament performance. Sanogo averaged 19.7 points and 9.8 rebounds, converting 50 of 75 shots in UConn’s six tournament wins.
In the Final Four, he had 38 points and 20 rebounds in wins over Miami in the national semifinals and San Diego State in the title game.
Overall this season, Sanogo averaged 17.2 points and seven rebounds in 39 games, shooting 60.6% from the field. He also hit 19 of 52 3-point attempts (36.5%) after attempting just one shot from beyond the arc over his first two college seasons.
Sanogo’s expanded offensive game was purposeful, a signal to NBA scouts that he’s capable of transitioning to a league that values 3-point shooting.
Off the court, Sanogo emerged as a leader at UConn. He shared the captain title with Andre Jackson Jr. and became a vocal personality on a team that meshed transfers and freshmen into the rotation this season.
Sanogo’s personality also made him a fan favorite. A native of the West African nation of Mali, Sanogo’s back story is compelling — he came to the United States alone at 15, speaking little English while chasing a basketball dream. He spent two years at a school on Long Island before attending The Patrick School in New Jersey.
Eventually, he landed in Storrs.
Sanogo earned a starting role as a freshman in 2020-21, averaging 7.3 points and 4.8 rebounds. His numbers rose to 14.8 and 8.8 with a 50.4 shooting percentage and 55 blocks. He was named All-Big East and became a fan…
Read More: UConn star Adama Sanogo leaving to pursue NBA career 2023-04-13 20:15:00