Three-star New Jersey forward recaps Lubbock visit
With a few more spots open on the inside for Chris Beard’s 2017 class, the coaches hosted New Jersey power forward Bourama Sidibe on an official visit a couple weekends ago.
Sidibe had never been to Texas before but came away very impressed from his time in Lubbock and at Texas Tech.
“It was great. It was great to get to know the coaches and the staff and see how they work out and see what the campus looked like. It was all great.”
“It was great (being in Texas). I had never been there before and the whole experience was great. I’ve never really seen a place like Texas or like Lubbock. I have nothing to complain about.”
There were a lot of things Sidibe was looking forward to seeing when he got to Lubbock. Campus life, academics, and seeing the town were areas he was interested in, but the real highlight of his visit was getting to be with the coaches and see how the team operated on a day-to-day basis.
“I was really excited to see how they treat their players and how the team comes together. They constantly come to the gym and work. The coaches are always around every single day if you need them, so that was a good thing.
“They were honest with me and kept telling me what they do to make sure everyone gets better. They make sure you get your work done academically, too."
Sidibe had multiple conversations with the coaching staff about both playing time and how he could fit in with the team. They also talked about how they want the skilled forward to be at home.
“They were always making sure that I was happy, and I felt good. They were telling me a lot about that. They were saying that if you aren’t happy where you are supposed to go, it will be tough to get better and reach your goals. They were very honest with me and no matter what they were going to be there for me. They said they were going to be there for everything, that’s a great thing.”
Beard and his staff believe Sidibe can be a real offensive threat both outside and inside the paint and feel like his offensive game could provide a real boost to the team. After the seniors graduate, there will be an opportunity for immediate playing time for Sidibe as well as an opportunity to score a lot of points.
“They have some seniors that are leaving, so I might be able to play early. If I am ready to play, I can play that spot easily. They didn’t guarantee me that I was going to start, but if I work, they feel like I can play early.”
“They basically told me they would make me better, and it doesn’t matter what position you play, everyone will score, everyone will shoot, and everyone will get points. If you get better, you are going to score no matter who you are.”
Sidibe visited Oklahoma State last week and has a visit to Syracuse set up this upcoming weekend. He would still have one more visit available if he chooses and is unsure if he will sign in the early or late period. He does, however, know exactly what he wants from a future college and feels confident in what Tech has to offer, too.
“One of my main things is playing time. I want to play right away. The second thing is academics, and then I want to be around good people.”
“I do (feel like Tech offers that). They showed me a lot of love and a lot of respect which was a great thing. They offer a lot for me.”