In this report from MetroNews, Allan Taylor reports that given Sagaba Konate’s dramatic improvements as a sophomore, West Virginia coaches weren’t surprised Tuesday when the forward/center opted to submit paperwork for the NBA draft. Konate told them he does not intend to hire an agent, meaning there’s a strong chance he’ll withdraw from the draft by the June 11 deadline.

 

Assistant Erik Martin, just minutes after returning from the Final Four in San Antonio, said the evaluation process of working out for NBA scouts can help returning players, just as it did last year for Jevon Carter.

 

“It makes sense because Sags had a great year,” said Martin, who works with West Virginia’s big men. “Plus, Sags is intriguing because he hasn’t played basketball that long. I think this will give you an idea of what you need to work on to get to the next level.”

 

The brawny 6-foot-8 Konate started 36 of the Mountaineers’ 37 games this season, finishing second in Division I with 116 blocks. His offensive development became noteworthy as he paired low-post moves with 17-foot range on his jumper. Konate’s scoring increased from 4.1 points as a freshman to 10.8 points, while his rebounding average climbed from 2.8 to 7.6 rebounds. At the foul line he improved from 63 percent to 78 percent, and his fouls-per-minute declined.

 

Click HERE for the rest of the story.

 

Editor's Note: Photo by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.