Valley of the Suns
Fansided

Phoenix Suns second round power forward prospects

By Khaleel Abdullah

CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 19: Ajdin Penava #11 of the Marshall Thundering Herd shoots a free throw during a game against the Xavier Musketeers at Cintas Center on December 19, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Xavier won 81-77. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 19: Ajdin Penava #11 of the Marshall Thundering Herd shoots a free throw during a game against the Xavier Musketeers at Cintas Center on December 19, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Xavier won 81-77. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 09: West Virginia Mountaineers forward Sagaba Konate (50) in the second half of a semifinal game in the Big 12 Basketball Championship between the West Virginia Mountaineers and Texas Tech Red Raiders on March 9, 2018 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO. West Virginia won 66-63. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO – MARCH 09: West Virginia Mountaineers forward Sagaba Konate (50) in the second half of a semifinal game in the Big 12 Basketball Championship between the West Virginia Mountaineers and Texas Tech Red Raiders on March 9, 2018 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO. West Virginia won 66-63. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

4. Sagaba Konate – West Virginia/From Mali (6-8 260, 20-years-old)

Sagaba is another player that is a bit shorter than desired at his position (PF/C). However, thanks to his weight (260 pounds, heavier than most players in the NBA), he can still bang. A team needing hustle and rim protection (18 blocks in 3 games against Baylor) could do much worse. He averaged 10.8 points (51% FG), 7.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in 25.4 minutes this season. That’s 10.8 rebounds and 4.7 blocks per 36 minutes and he held up those numbers against ranked teams. Against then #10 Kansas, he made 7 of 10 attempts for 16 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. Konate had nine different games with at least 10 rebounds and at least 5 blocks. A decent comparison for Konate would be Tristan Thompson of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Add in about 20 pounds and make Thompson into a lot better rim protector and you get Sagaba. Ask any Mountaineers fan. He’s that special. If he’s not blocking shots, he’s at least altering them, which is sometimes just as good. Any spectator that got the privilege of seeing what he did to Kansas will tell you he is good enough to be a factor in the pros.

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