Ousmane N'Diaye or Donnie Freeman

[MdWIldcat55]

DId the Freeman drama end up working out better for Kentucky after all? Or was Freeman a better bet, and a tough miss?

N'Diaye is 22, two years older than Freeman, and has spent that time in Italy's top basketball league. N'Diaye is two inches taller and five pounds heavier.

Freeman averaged more points playing in the ACC for a bad team 16.5 to 10.5. .N'Diaye shot a bit better from 3. They averaged about the same number of rebounds, But it is hard to compare stats between a top Euro professional league and a US power conference.

Based on the eye test, after watching all the video of both I can find, I believe N'Diaye has a significantly higher ceilng. It is easy to be fooled by Euro league stats but the way he moves, handles the ball, the energy and athleticism, can't be faked.

Freeman might have been a safer bet to make a seamless transition into playing in the SEC against US college competition.

But he also has a serious history of eventually being injured. That was my biggest worry when he looked Lexington bound.

Bottom line for me: If the goal is a deep run in March, I'd rather roll the dice with a guy who looks like the kind of athlete who might up the tempo for the whole team, and elevate the other players.

I welcome any opposite opinions from the Anons, sincere Kentucky fans or trolls named after TV characters to convince me otherwise.

 

[Anon668007]

Freeman was a known commodity, limited in some areas, but the ceiling is higher with O. We will just have to see

 

[BBN-N-WI]

I like who we got. Freeman scared me with the history of injuries. Freeman is a good player, don’t get me wrong. Just feels like would’ve been a matter of time before we lost him to injuries. Just hoping for an injury free year for our Cats.

 

[ala_kat2]

I like Ndiaye’s ability to drive and dunk and hit the three. I just hope he can help with rebounding and the physicality of the SEC. We need another strong 4/5 to help inside defense and rebounding.

 

[Anon200440]

ousmane isnt bad

but missing on freeman and taking ousmane is the decisions that take us further from a national champiosnio

 

[darkshadesofblue]

I’ve never heard of OND until yesterday but I’m glad we ended up with him rather than Freeman. He seems a lot more fluid and nimble with a lot more upside and less injury prone

 

[JPFisher]

Freeman has been injured twice and would've cost around a million more than Ndaiye for this season (according to rumors online. Take it for what it's worth). Os looks good in highlights, but a concerning number of his shots are slopped in off the backboard.

He has a high FT % IIRC. Like, 80+%. Issue with euro ball is that they seemingly track stats like hens grow teeth. Can't find decent stats any damn where. Could be user error on my end, but still. Frustrating that there are so few videos and so few stats.

Overall, though, I'm cautiously optimistic. I don't feel like Keegan Brown would've let Pope get him at around $2 mil if he wasn't worth it.

 

[megablue]

Not sure, but I think there is much more potential upside with N'Diaye because he stretches the floor, although there is a trade-off for physicality.

 

[MonsterMash79]

I think his speed and ability to knock down outside shots will pose a problem for other bigs ..

 

[FilsonCat]

We'll find out. Freeman's foot injury would have been a serious question mark. I'd rather roll the dice on a dude without serious injury question marks.

 

[The Space Happy Cat]

ousmane isnt bad

but missing on freeman and taking ousmane is the decisions that take us further from a national champiosnio

Man I really wanted one of them champiosnios

 

[BellyBall]

Pretty even for me. I would be happy with either. OND is unknown for the most part, some risk involved, but Freeman had some injury risk himself.

 

[TommyMansky]

No idea. N'Diaye is more intriguing but seems to take a few too many fade away jump shots for a guy of his height.

 

[RedwoodHigh]

DId the Freeman drama end up working out better for Kentucky after all? Or was Freeman a better bet, and a tough miss?

N'Diaye is 22, two years older than Freeman, and has spent that time in Italy's top basketball league. N'Diaye is two inches taller and five pounds heavier.

Freeman averaged more points playing in the ACC for a bad team 16.5 to 10.5. .N'Diaye shot a bit better from 3. They averaged about the same number of rebounds, But it is hard to compare stats between a top Euro professional league and a US power conference.

Based on the eye test, after watching all the video of both I can find, I believe N'Diaye has a significantly higher ceilng. It is easy to be fooled by Euro league stats but the way he moves, handles the ball, the energy and athleticism, can't be faked.

Freeman might have been a safer bet to make a seamless transition into playing in the SEC against US college competition.

But he also has a serious history of eventually being injured. That was my biggest worry when he looked Lexington bound.

Bottom line for me: If the goal is a deep run in March, I'd rather roll the dice with a guy who looks like the kind of athlete who might up the tempo for the whole team, and elevate the other players.

I welcome any opposite opinions from the Anons, sincere Kentucky fans or trolls named after TV characters to convince me otherwise.

Great Info + totally agree.

 

[Anon1752779924]

No idea. N'Diaye is more intriguing but seems to take a few too many fade away jump shots for a guy of his height.

The upside is if he has that kind shot diet limited the efficiency should shoot up.

A dude that size creating his own jumpers sort of makes him especially interesting if it can be properly harnessed. Get him catching and shooting more and he may strike fear in opponents

 

[RedwoodHigh]

ousmane isnt bad

but missing on freeman and taking ousmane is the decisions that take us further from a national champiosnio

National championships are a rare combination of Luck & momentum- Freeman will not carry St Johns to the Championship.

 

[whack0001]

N'Diaye might end up being a good player. I really have no idea, but I can’t help but feel like he’s some random dude Pope brought in and people are trying hard to hype him up to make themselves feel better. Hopefully I’m wrong and he’s legit, but I’m not getting my hopes up.

 

[BlueSince92]

Freeman would have been better. Much better defense. Everything else is basically a wash but Freeman did it against better competition.

 

[katwest]

If Freeman would have come here, he would have gotten hurt, damaged goods stay hurt when they come to Kentucky. I’m happy with OND.

 

[JwUKFan11]

Sad we have to convince ourselves this guy can start at UK.

 

[BBNSZN914]

Mindset- no brainer, N’diaye. Freeman’s dealings scream culture negative.

Combined w injury history vs. someone healthy and presumably enthusiastic to come (commitment without long negotiation) - gimme N’Diaye.

Freeman has SEC size and athleticism, and that’s what you’re giving up, but N’Diaye looks like he has many ways to be successful as a 4-5th best starter for us- high ceiling too.

I think it informs what type of backup PF and C we go after (bulk/muscle).

 

[BBNSZN914]

Sad we have to convince ourselves this guy can start at UK.

Happens all the time in NIL era w those stepping up in competition.

 

[Uncle B.S.]

I’m hoping for somebody that gives us all the things we liked about BG without the things we didn’t like.

 

[peterpiper09]

Freeman would’ve broke a foot at Midnight Madness. That being said, I was initially discouraged when we missed on him, but I’m pretty sure we ended up better off. Ndiaye being off the radar a little helped us lock up a better alternative. Maybe Freeman, his agent, and the St. John’s people can sit and discuss whether he’ll be paid per game or per month.

 

[ftp000]

ousmane isnt bad

but missing on freeman and taking ousmane is the decisions that take us further from a national champiosnio

Care to elaborate? 58 posts is way behind the other superfans that showed up in March. Might as well say more stuff

 

[Buckwheat Otay Is Dead]

Freeman didn’t shoot 3s. The African has 2-3 years left under the 5 year rule. African start later in basketball. Pope is very good at developing talent. He made scrubs all stars at BYU. You can’t teach long arms, 6’11”, and 40 “ inch verticals.

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

I never understood the recruitment of Freeman. He didn’t seem to fit the type of system that Pope supposedly likes to run. All season we heard about the lack of system fit with some of the players and then Pope goes and recruits a player similar to that of Mo Dioubate.

 

[megablue]

Happens all the time in NIL era w those stepping up in competition.

1000% this ^^^

 

[Anon200440]

Care to elaborate? 58 posts is way behind the other superfans that showed up in March. Might as well say more stuff

well my last 3 accounts on here got banend so

 

[CatBearPig]

lol! The guy we got is a 22 year old dude playing in a semi pro league avg like 12 points a game against guys half his size. He is likely 10th man level, similar to Jelavic. Freeman was a star.

 

[Kingslayer07]

Wont know until the season is over lol. If Freeman stays healthy all season he is definitely the better player on paper.

 

[ftp000]

well my last 3 accounts on here got banend so

You're probably just misunderstood

 

[MaysviileKY]

I like this guy better…because he committed to UK.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

N'Diaye might end up being a good player. I really have no idea, but I can’t help but feel like he’s some random dude Pope brought in and people are trying hard to hype him up to make themselves feel better. Hopefully I’m wrong and he’s legit, but I’m not getting my hopes up.

This is where most sensible people are

 

[Anon668007]

And from the rumors and other news around the recruiting , IMO O cost much less than Freeman. I don’t know if it matters at this point, but that’s something

 

[JwUKFan11]

Happens all the time in NIL era w those stepping up in competition.

Not when they are surrounded by average players. Becoming the norm around here.

 

[UKCowboys]

N'Diaye chose us, **** Freeman lol

 

[kyjeff1]

I'd be happy with either one, but with the injuries we endured the last 2 seasons to key players, I feel better about the guy we have.
What good does getting Freeman do, if his chronic foot problems continue and he's in a boot half the year?
Didn't he miss significant time two years in a row with the same injury? Yeah, I'm good with N'diaye.

 

[CliffHawkinsFan606]

Ndiaye is an upgrade over Freeman.

Better shooter, lower usage, less injury concerns, and he wants to be here. Probably cheaper as well.

 

[Dr.LutherSan]

Freeman didn’t shoot 3s. The African has 2-3 years left under the 5 year rule. African start later in basketball. Pope is very good at developing talent. He made scrubs all stars at BYU. You can’t teach long arms, 6’11”, and 40 “ inch verticals.

Who did Pope develop into all-stars? That's a genuine question, as I'm not familiar with BYU basketball.