Iowa State men’s basketball: Recruiting update for Cheick Diallo, Henry Ellenson
By Brian Spaen
Here’s a roundup of news for multiple Iowa State recruits in the class of 2015, including high-profile athletes like Wisconsin’s Henry Ellenson and New York’s Cheick Diallo.
First, Diallo, a 5-star power forward, could likely make an official visit to Iowa State after making an unofficial one last fall. The dialogue is a little rough, but he’s barely been in the United States and has actually just “been playing basketball for only four years.”
"“It was great,” the Mali native said of his first Ames trip. “It was fun. Coach was great.”Diallo posseses the rare combination of size, speed and skill, despite picking up the game not long ago."
According to 247Sports, Diallo has received 24 offers, including schools such as Kansas, Baylor, Texas, and West Virginia in the Big 12. Favorites include the Jayhawks, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, and Kentucky.
The same recruiting service currently favors the Wildcats in a narrow margin over the Jayhawks.
Ellenson, a four-star power forward, is a favorite to stay locally by many experts, but he’s still highly considering many schools, including the Cyclones.
Travis Hines of the Ames Tribune also caught up Ellenson and detailed how the Cyclones expected to use him, which would be more of an all-around player instead of just an inside guy. Similar to Georges Niang.
"Ellenson has plenty of inside game with his height and strength, but he’s also capable on the perimeter as a strong ballhandler and a player that runs the floor excellently. As such, ISU has presented him a pretty clear way of how they intend to use him should he choose the Cyclones.“How they use a point-forward,” Ellenson said, “how they used Royce (White), how they use (Georges) Niang. They play all over the floor, inside-outside."
The Wisconsin native hasn’t committed to even an official visit yet, but the Cyclones are on his radar.
Outside of Wisconsin and Iowa State, Ellenson’s other favorite schools according to 247Sports are Creighton, Duke, and Michigan State.
Check out Hines’ roundup on more information on those recruits and additional information on other big name recruits like Esa Ahmad, Miles Bridges, and A.J. Turner.