Kansas freshman Cheick Diallo academically cleared by NCAA
Kansas freshman Cheick Diallo has been cleared to play for the Jayhawks after a lengthy investigation into his high school’s academics, the NCAA announced Wednesday. He will be eligible to play beginning Dec. 1.
Diallo, a five-star forward recruit, attended Our Savior New American in Centereach, N.Y. after arriving in the United States from Mali in 2012. The school was placed under NCAA review after he enrolled.
The NCAA’s investigation concluded that Diallo “received a limited amount of extra benefits” and ruled that he should be suspended for five games, including the four he has already missed.
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“I really want to thank the NCAA staff for guiding this process to a fair conclusion in what was a very complicated situation,” Kansas athletics director Sheahon Zenger said in a statement.
Kansas head coach Bill Self said Sunday that he was “very upset” Diallo had yet to be cleared.
Diallo was granted a waiver to travel with the Jayhawks to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational but will not be eligible to play until Dec. 1 against Loyola Maryland.
St. John’s forward Kassoum Yakwe, another Malian student from Our Savior New American, was also cleared Wednesday.
- Dan Gartland
