Inside The Huskies

Husky Basketball Receives Commit from French Big Man

Mady Traore signs with UW after previously playing for Maryland and New Mexico State.

Dan Raley

Mady Traore, former Maryland and New Mexico State player, has committed to the UW.
Mady Traore, former Maryland and New Mexico State player, has committed to the UW. / UW

As a basketball player, Mady Traore aptly fits the definition of the phrase well-traveled. He's from France. He reportedly spent time at three American high schools or prep schools. He's played for New Mexico State and Maryland. He's currently at a Texas junior college.

Next stop: the University of Washington.

On Thursday, the 6-foot-11, 190-pound Traore (pronounced Tray-OW-Ray) committed to and signed with Danny Sprinkle's program, giving the Huskies a big man with potential to go with all of those nationally ranked guards recently signed for Montlake.

Sprinkle's staff found Traore at Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas, where he's averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds per game through 10 outings.

The Huskies potentially could have two French players on next year's roster, with 6-foot-7 forward Dominique Diomande, an Ivory Coast national team member, committing to the UW last summer, but it's still unclear if and when he will come to Seattle.

A year ago, Traore played in the Big Ten for Maryland, appearing in 12 games and opening 4, with his best effort an 8-point, 5-rebound effort in his first start against Ohio State.

However, he injured a knee and entered the transfer portal last April, eventually redirecting to the junior-college ranks.

Mady Traore has committed to the UW basketball team.
Mady Traore has committed to the UW basketball team. / UW

Two years ago, Traore got caught up in a messy situation at New Mexico State, arriving at midseason, playing seven games and starting once for a program that was shut down before finishing its schedule. The Aggies had a player involved in a shooting amid reports of hazing, all leading to coach Greg Heiar getting dismissed.

Prior to 2020, Traore, who lists Paris as his hometown, arrived in the U.S. to play high school basketball. He attended Bishop Walsh School and National Christian Academy in Washington, D.C., before moving to Believe Prep Academy in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

With enticing athleticism for a big man, he was heavily recruited in 2020 and held initial offers from Auburn, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Oregon, Pittsburgh, USC and Virginia Tech. He next committed to North Carolina State. Yet it appeared academics got in the way.

The Huskies will try to give him a secure landing spot with a chance to succeed.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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