UConn superstar Adama Sanogo enters the 2023 NBA Draft after a legendary NCAA Tournament performance during the Huskies’ run to the 2023 National Championship. Sanogo was named the Final Four Most Valuable Player to cap an outstanding junior season during which he served as team captain.
Sanogo earned CBS Sports Third Team All-America honors for the 2022-23 season while proving an almost impossible defense for some opponents. Sanogo averaged 17.2 points and 7.7 rebounds on 60.6% shooting for the season, but elevated his game during the Big Dance with 19.7 points and 9.8 rebounds on 66.7% shooting with four double-doubles in six double-digit wins. Sanogo also showed off his burgeoning perimeter touch in the Final Four by hitting 2 of 3 attempts from outside the arc in UConn’s win over Miami.
Combined with the measurable attributes on the court that Sanogo brought in the 2022-23 season, it was his leadership that helped keep UConn through a roller coaster season that culminated with the program standing atop college basketball for the fifth time in the past 25 seasons.
Sanogo Projection Project
Sanogo is not among CBS Sports’ top 50 draft prospects for the class of 2023. He’ll need to ditch the “traditional big” tag in order to move up the draft boards and become a rotating player on the NBA team.
At just 6-foot-9 and with good athleticism, Sanogo is no elite protector. His best weapon for UConn was his offensive acumen in the position. However, Sanogo added the 3-point shot to his arsenal during the 2022-23 season by hitting 36.5% of his attempts from the arc and looked great as a passer when Gonzaga brought in double teams during the Elite Eight. He also has the opportunity to become a serviceable defender as he has better lateral agility than would be expected for a player of his size and frame.
Ultimately, continuous development of the outside shot and commitment to defensive versatility are high on the list of skills Sanogo will need to display in order to be selected in the NBA Draft.
Impact on UConn
Although Sanogo’s performance in the 2023 NCAA Tournament will go down in the annals of UConn basketball history, it’s becoming clear that Huskies’ coach Dan Hurley may face a tough decision on how to handle the program’s center position for the 2023-24 season amid the emergence of Donovan Clingan .
The 7-foot-2 Clingan announced on April 8 that he will return to the program for his sophomore season. As a true junior, Clingan only clocked 13.1 minutes per game behind Sanogo, but he shone when on the field blocking 1.8 shots per game and making 65.5% of his attempts offensively. Clingan’s emergence as one of the best defensemen in college basketball combined with his offensive promise and stellar athleticism makes him one of the most decorated players in the sport. Finding enough playing time for both Clingan and Sanogo has been a challenge for Hurley in 2023-24.
Of course, if Sanogo chooses to return to UConn, it will be a big deal for Hurley. But if Sanogo stays in the draft, as is expected of him, the Huskies will be perfectly fine at the center with Clingan.