Even as a consensus top 10 player in the 2022 class, Yohan Traore can’t help but to be amazed at the level of attention he gets from college coaches and their fan bases.
“It’s crazy,” Traore said. “The atmosphere is just different everywhere that I go, but all of the fans love the program, and they really show it. Texas Tech was the first time I went to a football game, and I just couldn’t believe how the energy was. I’ve never experienced that.”
The surprise is understandable since he’s only experienced the recruitment process at the “can’t miss prospect” level for the past six months.
Traore has only been in the U.S. since last December.
“It’s a whole new world here,” said Traore, who's suiting up at Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) this season. “Everything has been pretty crazy since I started playing in the spring and summer.”
Traore suited up with Dream Vision (Nev.) in the adidas 3SSB circuit and showed the full arsenal of his offensive repertoire, scoring in every way imaginable, owning rebounds and changing shots on the defensive end.
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The 6’10” forward was extremely agile and mobile and was masterful at switching on the perimeter and recovering. His exceptional footwork made life difficult for opposing bigs, out-maneuvering them to consistently set himself up for high percentage shots.
That translated into averaging 25 points and 14 rebounds a game and a virtual who’s who of college coaches applying the full-court recruitment press.
Traore has already taken officials to Texas Tech, Michigan, Memphis and Kansas and plans to take one more visit to either Texas or UCLA. He’s also considering the NBL and the G League.
When asked if he was leaning toward college or pro options, Traore said, “College.”
“I don’t know when I want to decide at this point,” Traore said. “I’ll sit down with my people and talk everything out after my last visit. I think it will be more about the relationship with the coaches, their plan for me, how I’ll develop and how they’ll use me.”
