Seydou Traore Settling In with Hawkeyes

Iowa Transfer Ready to Contribute in Year 1

Iowa's Seydou Traore speaks with the media on July 15, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo: Rob Howe/HN) /

There is a reason why Seydou Traore is a long way from home.

Traore hasn’t been away for a long period of time from his home in New York City. The Bronx resident, though, came to Iowa for one reason — because he knows the success the Hawkeyes have had in developing players.

Traore is a 6-foot-7, 215-pound wing forward with one year of college experience, having played at Manhattan College last season. That’s a perfect size for a player in Fran McCaffery’s system, as proven especially in the last few seasons with the development of Keegan Murray and Kris Murray into NBA first-round draft picks.

So, when Traore came to visit Iowa after entering the NCAA’s transfer portal, he was shown video of the Murrays.

“I would say there’s a lot of similarities in my game,” Traore said Monday. “I think there are a lot of things I have to improve.”

Traore averaged 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds last season at Manhattan, and was named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s all-rookie team. He entered the transfer portal and was a popular player, given his size and what he had already accomplished.

“I can’t give an exact number, but it was a lot of schools,” Traore said of the interest.

Hearing from Iowa, he was, “was a blessing.”

“Hearing from any of the schools in the portal, it was a blessing,” Traore said.

But he knew Iowa’s reputation, and he knew about the Hawkeyes’ up-tempo offense.

“It was just being able to come into a position where I can play my game, and win games,” Traore said. 

McCaffery likes all aspects of Traore’s game, and thinks his 25.6 percent shooting in 3-pointers last season could get better.

“Seydou had a really good freshman year,” McCaffery said. “He put up really solid numbers. I think he’s a better shooter than his numbers show. You’ll see that improve. But he can put it on the deck, he passes it well. He’s long, bouncy. He’s going to be really good for us for a long time.”

Traore said the only reason he left Manhattan was to improve his game.

“There’s no bad blood between me and Manhattan,” Traore said. “Coach (John) Gallagher gave me a chance to play. A lot of coaches didn’t give me a chance, but he gave me a chance. It was hard leaving, but I’m in a good place now.”

Traore wasn’t highly recruited in high school out of Our Savior Lutheran School in New York.

“I was a 3-star, 2-star (recruit),” Traore said. “That’s a lot of motivation. That’s a lot of motivation to keep working, stay in the gym.”

Traore said it was “late senior year” when his play took a big step.

“I just stayed in the gym, stayed consistent,” he said. “And I think the consistent part carried over.”

Iowa City is a long way from the Bronx. But Traore knows he made a good choice.

“It was just a perfect fit for me,” he said.