Mark Pope is pursuing a Senegalese forward who would be a homerun addition for Kentucky

One position that Mark Pope still has a ton of work to do when it comes to the 2026-27 roster is the power forward spot. Fans have been ready for a Justin McBride commitment over the last few days. It hasn’t come yet which is somewhat frustrating, but many anticipate the former James Madison forward to be a Wildcat sooner than later.

While McBride will be an excellent addition to the power forward room if he does pick Kentucky, he would be the only player at the four that the Wildcats have, so Pope will have to go get himself another power forward. A new name has shown up but this player isn’t in the transfer portal.

Pope has been in contact with Ousmane Ndiaye, who is a power forward from Senegal. He currently plays for Vanoli Cremona, which is a professional basketball team in Italy, and he is putting up some impressive numbers. He is averaging 10.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Mar 22, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope calls a play during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Knowing what Pope is looking for at the four position, Ndiaye looks like he could be the perfect player. The 6’11 forward has an elite handle and can use it to create his own shot from deep. This isn’t something you see all that often from a player of his size. He truly is a confident shooter, which Pope would love to have.

A lot of times, when players are added from outside of the United States, we hear that they are good shooters, and they don’t always pan out. That won’t be the case with Ndiaye. This kid truly can shoot the ball at an elite clip and not just in the catch-and-shoot variety.

6-11 Ousmane Ndiaye is having a strong season with
Vanoli Cremona

The 2004 born Senegalese forward is averaging 10.3 Points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.7 stocks per game this season on 26.8 MPG in Serie A competition

Twitchy movements, can space the floor, runs the floor very well,… pic.twitter.com/xHGKz3vjXR
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) April 10, 2026

Ndiaye is a three-level scorer who, on top of shooting threes, can make a pull-up two and score around the rim. On defense, there is a ton of upside in his game when watching Ndiaye play defense, but he is somewhat raw. Some say he can lose attention sometimes on defense, but when he is locked in, he can be a true stopper.

At a position of need, I do believe that Ndiaye could be a very good addition for the Wildcats who fits into the Pope system very well. This is a name to pay attention to over the next few weeks. If Kentucky lands McBride and doesn’t add any more power forwards, this could be because Pope and the staff plan to add Ndiaye. The 6’11 Senegalese forward could be a star in college before heading to the NBA.

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