Amadou Kante Sidelined with Knee Injury
9/7/2023 12:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PITTSBURGH – Pitt freshman Papa Amadou Kante is expected to miss the 2023-24 season after suffering a non-contact knee injury during a workout Wednesday evening.
"Papa is a terrific person with great spirit and a relentless work ethic," said head coach Jeff Capel. "We feel for him to have this happen so early in his collegiate career. We have an outstanding medical and athletic training staff, and we know that Papa will attack the rehab and recovery process. This will be a minor setback for a young man with a great future in our program."
Amadou Kante is a high-motor forward with strong rebounding and defensive instincts as well as shooting range out to the three-point line. A four-star prospect and Top 100 recruit, Amadou Kante led South Kent to a 29-7 record, the NEPSAC Class AAA regular season title (15-1), and Class AAA championship as a senior. He was named NEPSAC Class AAA first team in 2023 after earning honorable mention honors in 2022.
His recruitment exploded in the summer of 2022 after he posted a strong showing on the Nike EYBL Circuit with NY Rens. Amadou Kante was named Nike EYBL Louisville Second Team after averaging 12.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game at the session.
Pitt returns a strong core of frontcourt players led by 2023 Second Team All-ACC selection Blake Hinson (15.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg., 97 3FG) and starting center Federiko Federiko (6.6 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 1.7 bpg., .667 fg pct.). The Panthers also welcome back two-year starter William Jeffress who missed the 2022-23 campaign with a foot injury, and the twin tandem of Guillermo Diaz Graham (3.5 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) and Jorge Diaz Graham (2.9 ppg., 2.2 rpg.).
High Point transfer Zack Austin is also an inside-outside threat from the forward position. The Winston-Salem, N.C., native has totaled 897 points, 424 rebounds, 135 blocked shots, and 129 three-point field goals in two seasons of collegiate action.
