Summer prep spotlight: Q&A with Fallou Diagne
Tri-City Christian Academy rising junior Fallou Diagne sat down with Prep Hoops writer Eric Newman to discuss summer basketball, college recruiting and what he is doing to improve his game.
Newman: How does it feel in summer to play against some of the best players in the state and country in summer high school and club basketball?
Diagne: I love it, because the chance to play against the best players shows me how I’m doing. It’s a big confidence builder for me to be with everybody.
How has the college recruiting process been? Does it ever get overwhelming?
It’s a lot, with every team that is trying to get you to come. There’s a lot of phone calls and texts, and you just never know who’s going to want to talk to you next.
What are you trying to do to make sure you keep getting recruited and have a successful college basketball career?
I’m just trying to work out every day. I have a coach that’s my AAU coach, he works out my shooting, dribble skills, post ups and everything. I’m tall, but I want to do everything on the floor, from the point guard to the center.
Is there a player you try to model your game after?
I try to play like Kevin Durant or Giannis (Antetokounmpo) because they really do it all. I just try to watch their games, and if they do good stuff, I try to add that to my game.
What’s your go-to move?
My post up, I work on it a lot.
It doesn’t seem like there are too many players that can do a lot of damage on the post, so are you trying to be different in that way?
Yeah, a lot of players, they just don’t do it. So I’m trying to be unique, and be able to do that but also play well from all over the floor.
Your high school team graduated a lot of seniors from the past season, how do you try to play your best when the team is going to change so much?
I just try to be the leader of the team, and when we play against great teams, I’ll try to guard the best player. And I bring the ball up the floor a lot, even though I’m usually the tallest guy.