Intro: Mamadou Gueye (2019)
During the summer following The Nation Prep’s inaugural season, head coach Mike Woodbury has added an immense and space-clogging weapon for the 2018-19 season.
7-foot, 225-pound behemoth Mamadou Gueye has the potential to evolve as a highly acclaimed Division-1 prospect.
Gueye’s unique blend of mobility, instincts, wingspan, and burgeoning shot-blocking acumen ooze of promise.
The fact that Gueye moves his feet exceptionally well and can back down smaller defenders into the post is notable. It is an enticing portent of what he’s capable of producing at the highest level of American Prep basketball.
And while Gueye still has a ways to go offensively, he’s shown a mechanically sound shot.
Gueye is able to get a bird’s eye view of the rim with his high arching shot release.
He’s also displayed strides in becoming a one dribble, attack the rim threat.
“He will be a multi-dimensional swingman, a 4-5 to start,” explained The Nation director and head coach Mike Woodbury.
“He will be a 3-4 by the time I’m through with him. He’s a high major kid. All the top schools should offer early, as he won’t be the same player when my coaching staff is through with him.”
Woodbury was quick to cite the vastly improved development of recent Illinois State-commit Abdou N’Diaye.
After arriving at the doorstep rough around the edges and unpolished, N’Diaye worked his way into one of the state’s premiere versatile players.
He averaged a program best 27 points, 14 boards, and five blocks this past season.
The 6-foot-10 stretch four went from a little-known project to a highly pursued and polished product on the Division-I market.
N’Diaye wound up choosing Illinois State over established high major programs such as Wichita State, UNLV, Ole Miss, and various others.
“Defensively he’s a problem for teams,” Woodbury said of Gueye.
“He’s very active, very mobile, and he has great instincts. He still needs to tighten up a few thinfs as far as attention to detail. Once he gets that down, we’re confident he will be a surefire high major guy when it is all said and done.”
Beyond Gueye’s fleet of foot, he’s able to expose smaller defenders with a vastly improved array of post up moves.
Jarringly similar to the aforementioned N’Diaye, the Class of 2019 big possesses a smooth stroke.
His short range touch is plenty capable of steering big rim protectors outside of the paint and decimating defenses with his arsenal.
As The Nation ramps up its national strength of schedule in 2018-19, Gueye will be flanked by unique and under the radar talent.
Veteran guard/forward Marvens Petion, he of the superior bounce and wide ranging scoring, is flushed into a prominent role.
Petion has drawn interest from a number of high major programs, including Ole Miss and Wichita State. He will transition to becoming a primary ball handler and really playmake during those pressure-cooker moments.
Class of 2019 guard Idrissa Bivens will continue to stake his claim as arguably the most unsung and underappreciated guard in the state.
A deft dishing point guard who can dole out double digits in assists any given night, Bivens outdueled blue chip recruit and 2018 NBA draft favorite Anfernee Simons against IMG Academy’s national postgraduate team last year.