NC State Forward Mohamed Diarra will not be returning to NC State for his final season of eligibility. Rather, he will give 100% of his focus to pursuing his professional career.
Diarra is declaring for the NBA Draft, and will explore that possibility as far as it goes, but the likelihood of him playing professionally in his home country of France are high.
Diarra was a significant player for NC State all season long, averaging 6.3 points and 7.8 rebounds (team high), but his impact in March was tremendous, recording 10+ rebounds in 7 of the Wolfpack’s 10 postseason games, and five of those performances were double-doubles.
Wolfpack fans will always remember the grit and mental toughness that Diarra put on display in the NCAA Tournament, playing game-after-game while fasting for Ramadan.
The Wolfpack’s frontcourt just got a little bit thinner. In the past two weeks, NC State has lost Diarra and Ernest Ross. Ben Middlebrooks is returning, and Brandon Huntley-Hatfield transferred in from Louisville. Dontrez Styles transferred in from Georgetown, and while he is more of a Small Forward, in certain lineups, he could play the Small 4 position. With all that being said, I fully expect NC State to try to find another post player in the Transfer Portal with Diarra’s exodus now official.
With Diarra not returning in 2024, NC State now has 2 scholarships available for next season.
I I am usually very positive when it comes to the Wolfpack. But this has been a very disheartening season. I really don’t see anything with what we have coming in and what we possibly have leaving that says that we will have any better of a team next year than what we had this year. You can’t compete in the ACC with only a six or seven man rotation.
When did Les Robinson rejoin the Wolfpack?
Keeping using Freeman. 9-0 run by the Irish. One foul, no rebounds, no points, keep playing Freeman. Good job Gott. Rowan hits one shot and then misses the next four, good shooting from the freshman. Kirk in for another 11 first half seconds. That will give him plenty of experience for next year as he sits on another team’s bench after transfer. Kirk, State loses one player and pick up three for next year, why not transfer. Show Gott he needs to treat freshman a little differently. We can’t build a program with transfers. Got to have decent freshman to… Read more »