Diouf signs National Letter of Intent with Bulldogs

FRESNO, Calif. --- Assane Diouf (pronounced: Uh-sawn Djoof), a 7-foot-1, 275-pound true center with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Fresno State and play for the Bulldogs' men's basketball team starting in the upcoming 2018-19 season, first-year head coach Justin Hutson announced on Monday.

"We are thrilled to add Assane to our program," Hutson said. "Size is a premium and he has an impressive work ethic. His best basketball days are ahead of him. Assane has a tremendous opportunity to be a difference-maker for our team. He is also a high-character young man, who will make our Valley proud."

Diouf, who is originally from Dakar, Senegel, attended DME Academy in Florida this past season, where he focused becoming a better defender and played against some of the nation's best prep teams and players.

During the 2017-18 season, Diouf averaged approximately 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks per game, according to Nicholas Couluris, director of camps and recruiting at DME Academy.

Diouf committed to Fresno State because he liked the campus and program. He also felt Hutson and his coaching staff will help prepare him for the next level. Fresno State has two former players currently playing the NBA (Paul George and Tyler Johnson), who both are competing in the 2018 NBA Playoffs. 30 former Fresno State men's basketball student-athletes have gone on to play in the NBA.

Hutson has a long history of recruiting and coaching future NBA draft picks, including 2013 No. 1 overall NBA Draft selection Anthony Bennett, Kawhi Leonard, Jamaal Franklin and Xavier Thames.

Diouf had received interest from or been recruited by TCU, Wichita State, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, Rutgers, Massachusetts, Coastal Carolina and Rider. He had moved from Senegal to Denver as a teenager to pursue the educational and basketball opportunities in the United States, with ambitions to play professionally after college.

Diouf is the first student-athlete to commit as a part of Hutson's 2018-19 recruiting class, as former head coach Rodney Terry's recruits Isaac Likekele and Efe Odigie were both released from their NLIs with Fresno State. Diouf will be just the second 7-foot-1 player (Neal McCoy: 1972-73), which is also the tallest height in program history, and the fourth Bulldog listed seven-feet or taller. He will also be the 25th Fresno State men's basketball international student-athlete since 1985 (15th since 2000).

Three Bulldogs sat out redshirting the 2017-18 season as Division I transfers: 6-foot-3 guard Noah Blackwell (Long Beach State), 6-foot-4 guard Braxton Huggins (New Mexico State) and 6-foot-11 forward Eric Vila (Texas A&M).

Hutson is continuing to recruit to fill out his 2018-19 roster and finalize his coaching staff.

Fresno State will open the 2018-19 season in November, and the Bulldogs have already been selected to participate in the 2018 Wooden Legacy in Southern California during Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 22, 23 and 25). Additional schedule and program information will be released when available.

Tallest Bulldogs (Program History)
Height - Name, Position - Years Lettered - Hometown
7-1 - Neal McCoy, C - 1972-73 - Sacramento, Calif.
7-1 - Assane Diouf, C - (Signed NLI for 2018-19 season) - Dakar, Senegal
7-0 - Robert Upshaw, C - 2013 - Fresno, Calif.
7-0 - Anthony Pelle, C - 1994-95 - Bronx, N.Y.

"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.

Fresno State Athletics

Diouf signs National Letter of Intent with Bulldogs

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