At the beginning of each new year, Phenom Hoops works to assemble a series of articles centered around unsigned senior prospects. Last season, over one hundred players from North Carolina went on to play at the Division I, II, III or NAIA levels, and that number looks likely to continue increasing with the current senior class. Typically, we take a closer look at guys who are overlooked and underrated, and today’s edition will highlight Hamidou Sidibe of Covenant Day and Defenders Elite.
Over the years, a lot of players have come through our doors. Some possessed the all-around skillset to become a nationally-known prospect or NBA player, but most do not and have to find their own identity as a player. Sidibe has done exactly that over the past few seasons, continually working to improve his weaknesses while maintaining his strengths. He’s a big, strong, physical wing/forward prospect with great defensive versatility and a high two-way motor. Sidibe has a quality nose for the ball and understands how to overwhelm opponents with his combination of strength and quickness. He’s great in transition at filling the lanes or making the correct pass to an open teammate. Sidibe doesn’t need to be flashy to make his presence felt on both sides of the ball.
We’ve seen Sidibe in virtually every setting, including at our Phenom G3 Showcase, where we stated: “The long, athletic wing prospect was arguably the most dominant performer from this contest. He was able to attack the basket virtually whenever he wanted and finished extremely inside the paint. Sidibe showcased an abundance of defensive tools and possesses phenomenal upside on that end of the floor.”
His Defenders Elite coach also said: “He is a freakish athlete with a great strong body. Great two level scorer and finishes hard at the rim. He has good three-point range that I think can be even better making him a dominant 3 level scorer. This kid works seven days a week and is very coachable. He is an international kid and his I9 runs out June 1. He will likely need a full scholarship.”
There are a slew of schools involved with the strong, physical wing prospect but few have extended offers. His game is able to be impactful without necessarily requiring a ton of offensive touches or needing the ball in his hands. Sidibe’s motor and willingness to defend would be enough to become an asset for majority of Division II and III programs. He is a great teammate and someone that could legitimately continue to improve at the next level. Only time will tell but Sidibe certainly has the tools to carve out a role for the right college program.