Derek Piper:
Future150 Midwest Analyst Covering high & middle school basketball. IL, IN, KY, OH, MI, MO & WI
Chicago, IL (Future150) -- Victory Rock Prep (FL) four-star SF Deng Adel came to the United States last fall having watched very little college basketball while living in Australia. However, his goal was to get enough exposure to make his way to the college game.
“I always wanted to play college basketball, and to come here early to give me the exposure I needed,” Adel said.
Adel found himself amongst some of the best players in the country at the adidas Unrivaled camp last week in Chicago—playing in front of Louisville head coach Rick Pitino on Saturday. Louisville has been the odds-on favorite for Adel for months, and on Monday, he announced his commitment to the program.
Adel follows in the footsteps of his cousin and current Cardinals center Mangok Mathiang, who also came over from Australia. Adel’s guardian and high school coach Loren Jackson (also Mathiang’s guardian) said on Saturday there was no doubt that Louisville was recruiting Adel the hardest of any program. He said that Florida, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Ole Miss were also in the mix.
Jackson added that Adel’s decision would hinge on his familiarity with the program and his opportunity to play. The Cardinals fared well in both categories, with Adel taking an unofficial visit to Louisville in June.
“It was a good visit. I just got a chance to see the facilities and hang with some of the guys,” Adel said. “Got to work out at the facility, and it was basically just having a tour around the school.”
Jackson said that Louisville likes Adel’s versatility and ability to get up and down the floor. At 6’7”, Adel has great length and athleticism on the wing. He is a threat in transition, plays good defense, and he can score in a variety of ways. Adel’s most impressive offensive feature is his smooth pull-up jumper, which is extremely hard to contest with his penetrating ability.
Adel is ranked as the No. 49 player in the country, per the Future150 rankings, and the No. 9 small forward in the class. He is a big-time get for the Cardinals.
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