Prospect Profile: Ibrahima Athie

Ibrahima Athie- 6’5 W/F Deer Park High School- Class of 2019 AAU Team: Cincinnati Lakers Floor: D-II/NAIA/JUCO Ceiling: D-II 2016-17 Stats: 12.3ppg, 9.7rpg, 2.0apg   If you are fortunate enough to play this game at a high level for a long time, you learn that injuries are part of the game. It’s a lesson that most if not all players will learn at some point in their career, and it is a lesson that Ibrahima Athie learned over the summer. On July 10^th Athie broke his tibia in a summer league game, which means the Wildcat junior has been in recovery and rehab mode since that time. “I was in a cast for month before I began rehab,” Ibrahima stated during our interview. “I have a few more weeks of therapy then I should be good to go. I have my last physical test in a few weeks.” And with the skill set that Athie possesses, having him healthy is very key to Deer Park success this season. When watching Ibrahima play the first thing that I noticed was his versatility, particularly on the offensive end, along with the fact that he seems to have a good feel for the game. “Ibrahima is a long wing that can make shots from deep with consistency,” stated Lakers 16U head coach Corey Albertson. “He has a really good offensive feel and is capable as a passer and scorer.” To go along with his rebounding ability, Athie has the size to be a do everything wing at the next level. Another positive attribute of the Wildcat junior is he playmaking ability in the open-court. His solid ball-handling skills high I.Q. and athleticism makes Ibrahima a threat as the decision-maker or the finisher on the break. I can also see the young man becoming a lock down defender as well when you combine all his physical attributes and good feel for the game. When speaking on improvements for the season Athie mentioned that on the defensive end is where he would like to improve. “I would like to improve on my defense, guarding quicker guards,” Ibrahima. This will be important since he stated that he will spend time playing the 2-4 spots on the court. Currently Athie has a 3.2gpa and has not had any contact from any programs at the moment. With his recovery from injury gong well, programs at the next level do not need to shy away from this rising junior.