BYU coach Mark Pope added another player to his 2020 recruiting class Thursday.
Pope announced that Wasatch Academy’s Fousseyni Traore has signed a scholarship agreement with the Cougars and will join the program for the 2021-22 season.
The 6-foot-7 forward hails from Bamako, Mali, in West Africa.
“Fousseyni Traore is one the kindest, most big hearted and faithful people you will ever meet,” Pope said in a statement. “He is a big bodied, barrel chested, incredibly explosive power forward, who proved this summer that he is also effective off the bounce and from behind the 3-point line.
“We are so blessed as a team and a staff to welcome this great young man to our program. He is going to be an extraordinary representative of his family, his home country of Mali, the university and Cougar Nation.”
Traore has started 59 games in his first two seasons at Wasatch Academy, averaging 6.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and one steal per game. Traore helped the Tigers compile a 53-6 record the past two seasons and back-to-back invitations to the GEICO High School Basketball National Tournament.
“I can’t wait to play for Coach Pope,” Traore said. “Every time I speak with him he has so much energy and passion and makes me feel amazing as a player and a person. He really believes in me and I’m looking forward to playing for him at BYU.”
With the addition of Traore, Pope is establishing an impressive Wasatch Academy pipeline. Caleb Lohner and Richie Saunders are Wasatch Academy products that have already signed with the Cougars.
Traore was also recruited by Seton Hall and Utah State.
Traore speaks three languages — Bambara, French and English. His parents are Lamine and Kadiatou Traore and he has one sister and two brothers.