FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas hosted top basketball rookies Baye Fall and Assane Diop for official visits, and they came away satisfied with their trip to Fayetteville.
Fall, 6-11 and 217 pounds, and Diop, 6-10 and 194, are playing their senior seasons at Denver Accelerated Schools. ESPN rates Fall as a 5-star rookie and Diop as a 4-star rookie.
“It was good, it was really good,” Fall said. ” We appreciated. We went to see the practice, and when we got there, we saw the vibe here. You know people who go to restaurants and pep rallies and things. It’s incredible.”
The cousins visited Arkansas in February and witnessed the basketball team’s victory over Kentucky.
“It was good, we enjoyed it as always,” Diop said. “We came here last season and it was good so that was enough and we thought we should make it an official. We enjoyed the visit. The supporters were good and the coaches are good every time. The players have been good this time, every time too.
ESPN also ranks Fall the No. 3 center nationally for the Class of 2023 and the No. 20 overall prospect. He also officially visited Rutgers, Auburn and Seton Hall.
“I think I’ll go back to Auburn, but I don’t know yet,” Fall said.
Diop is also ranked the No. 10 power forward and No. 57 overall prospect in the 2023 class. He reports making official visits to Colorado and Seton Hall.
“It’s my last,” he said of Arkansas.
Fall and Diop played for the Colorado Hawks, a team managed by Fort Smith native Greg Willis. Former Razorback great Ron Brewer and Willis led Northside to a 30-0 season in 1974 and an overall state championship.
Willis and his wife accompanied Fall and Diop on the trip. Fall and Diop participated in the prestigious NBPA Top 100 camp in late June and Fall was named to the 10-man All-Star team.
Fall was able to get more information about the Arkansas program over the weekend.
“Just more details on the program, how they do things,” Fall said. “How they track the details, technology and some similarities of this program and the NBA.”
Coach Eric Musselman, assistant coach Keith Smart and scouting coordinator Ronnie Brewer’s 52 years of NBA experience impress Fall.
“It makes me feel blessed to be recruited by people like that because they have everything, really,” he said. “They have everything.”
Fall and Diop attended the Arkansas-Alabama football game which highlighted Diop’s visit.
“I think the best part was the football game,” Diop said. “We are basketball players, but the football game was fun. We can see how the fans support the team.
Fall and Diop participated in the prestigious NBPA Top 100 camp in late June, with Fall being named to the 10-man All Star team.
Fans blew Diop away.
“I didn’t know it was like that,” he said. “Like we went to the football game and this little kid had a sign saying, ‘We want Assane and Baye here. It was huge and we have people taking our pictures. It was really huge.
Fall said the trip helped the Hogs.
“It’s a plus for them because of the positive things. I like positive things,” Fall said.
Musselman has produced several videos of himself performing as a techno DJ with various Razorback players dancing in the background. He and the players recreated it during the football game.
“I think it was cool, really funny,” Fall said. “He told us he was going to do this and then see it on the big screen, it was really funny with the guys in the back.”
Diop was kicked by Musselman and the players did the same skit during the game.
“Coach Muss is like that,” Diop said. “He has a lot of energy and everything. We came here for the Kentucky game and we can see how high his energy is.
Fall loves his relationship with Musselman and the staff.
“Really good, we’re pretty close,” Fall said. “A lot of them have seen me training or playing or at camps and I know them well, so it’s just a good vibe.”
Fall mentioned when he might make a decision.
“Probably when I’m done with my last visit, and I’ll go from there,” Fall said.
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas hosted top basketball rookies Baye Fall and Assane Diop for official visits, and they came away satisfied with their trip to Fayetteville.
Fall, 6-11 and 217 pounds, and Diop, 6-10 and 194, are playing their senior seasons at Denver Accelerated Schools. ESPN rates Fall as a 5-star rookie and Diop as a 4-star rookie.
“It was good, it was really good,” Fall said. ” We appreciated. We went to see the practice, and when we got there, we saw the vibe here. You know people who go to restaurants and pep rallies and things. It’s incredible.”
The cousins visited Arkansas in February and witnessed the basketball team’s victory over Kentucky.
“It was good, we enjoyed it as always,” Diop said. “We came here last season and it was good so that was enough and we thought we should make it an official. We enjoyed the visit. The supporters were good and the coaches are good every time. The players have been good this time, every time too.
ESPN also ranks Fall the No. 3 center nationally for the Class of 2023 and the No. 20 overall prospect. He also officially visited Rutgers, Auburn and Seton Hall.
“I think I’ll go back to Auburn, but I don’t know yet,” Fall said.
Diop is also ranked the No. 10 power forward and No. 57 overall prospect in the 2023 class. He reports making official visits to Colorado and Seton Hall.
“It’s my last,” he said of Arkansas.
Fall and Diop played for the Colorado Hawks, a team managed by Fort Smith native Greg Willis. Former Razorback great Ron Brewer and Willis led Northside to a 30-0 season in 1974 and an overall state championship.
Willis and his wife accompanied Fall and Diop on the trip. Fall and Diop participated in the prestigious NBPA Top 100 camp in late June and Fall was named to the 10-man All-Star team.
Fall was able to get more information about the Arkansas program over the weekend.
“Just more details on the program, how they do things,” Fall said. “How they track the details, technology and some similarities of this program and the NBA.”
Coach Eric Musselman, assistant coach Keith Smart and scouting coordinator Ronnie Brewer’s 52 years of NBA experience impress Fall.
“It makes me feel blessed to be recruited by people like that because they have everything, really,” he said. “They have everything.”
Fall and Diop attended the Arkansas-Alabama football game which highlighted Diop’s visit.
“I think the best part was the football game,” Diop said. “We are basketball players, but the football game was fun. We can see how the fans support the team.
Fall and Diop participated in the prestigious NBPA Top 100 camp in late June, with Fall being named to the 10-man All Star team.
Fans blew Diop away.
“I didn’t know it was like that,” he said. “Like we went to the football game and this little kid had a sign saying, ‘We want Assane and Baye here. It was huge and we have people taking our pictures. It was really huge.
Fall said the trip helped the Hogs.
“It’s a plus for them because of the positive things. I like positive things,” Fall said.
Musselman has produced several videos of himself performing as a techno DJ with various Razorback players dancing in the background. He and the players recreated it during the football game.
“I think it was cool, really funny,” Fall said. “He told us he was going to do this and then see it on the big screen, it was really funny with the guys in the back.”
Diop was kicked by Musselman and the players did the same skit during the game.
“Coach Muss is like that,” Diop said. “He has a lot of energy and everything. We came here for the Kentucky game and we can see how high his energy is.
Fall loves his relationship with Musselman and the staff.
“Really good, we’re pretty close,” Fall said. “A lot of them have seen me training or playing or at camps and I know them well, so it’s just a good vibe.”
Fall mentioned when he might make a decision.
“Probably when I’m done with my last visit, and I’ll go from there,” Fall said.