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.
BTP actually printed: Going 5-2 the rest of the way would be good. I think it would be amazing, but then, this whole season is already amazing. Amaze me some more! Go Pack.
Going 5-2 would be more than amazing!!
No Pack team since Stormin’ Norman and his plaid jacket paced the sidelines has that many wins in the regular season.
Too crazy to even think about right now.
17-4 / 9-3 UVA has lost only one game at home this season, to (#2) Houston. They’ve lost 3 league games, to Miami, Pitt, and VT last Saturday.
So this would be their first ACC home loss, and only their second back to back losses.
Yikes
7.5 seems like a big margin. I’ll bet it’s closer than that, maybe a last second shot
Its likely going to be closer late, but if we need to foul them at the end it might stretch out the lead.
Lets hope they need to foul us.
One game at a time! UVA is Our best opportunity to really make a statement. Personally, I wonder how many media guys voted us into the top 25 just to help the ratings for the UVA game. Miami embarrassed Duke last night. That did not help us. Let’s hope the boys are hungry for ice cream. Go Pack!
I like being the underdog, but…
Can someone tell me the results because I’m not sure my heart can handle the stress?
Everyone has us losing this game and I’m not so sure if we can win either.
Crazier things have happened, though.
Really hope for the best because…
Ecstatic wouldn’t even begin to explain my feelings if we walked off the court with a W.
At the very least, I hope we put up a good fight but…
Man, I hope we win!
I, like you, am reluctant to believe that this is not some fairy tale dream that I have to wake up from sooner or later.
I think you said what we are all feeling.