Iowa basketball forward sidelined ahead of season opener

As Iowa men’s basketball gets ready to tip off their 2024-25 campaign tonight, they will do so without forward Seydou Traore, who appeared in a walking boot and was not warming up.

Traore joined the Hawkeyes this offseason through the transfer portal from Manhattan after playing one season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

In his lone season with the Jaspers, Traore averaged 11.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in 32.4 minutes per game to go along with 62 assists and 34 blocks. He also shot 43.3% from the field and 80% from the free throw stripe.

During Iowa’s annual media day in October, Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery broke down what Traore, Ladji Dembele and Cooper Koch will provide for the Hawkeyes at the four spot.

“Well, all the guys that are competing for playing time there, they’re all really good, and they’re all different. Ladji, Cooper, Seydou. But, again, all three of them, they’re not four men. They can play the four spot. They can play the three spot. They can play the five spot.

“Ladji maybe more four, five. Coop and Seydou, maybe three, four. I would be comfortable playing Seydou in the back court. Same thing with Coop. Somebody is going to start there, but there are going to be a lot of different guys there,” McCaffery said of the Hawkeyes’ versatility at the four spot.

With Iowa facing off against a weaker opponent, the injury should not be a major factor in the outcome, but it is certainly something to keep an eye on moving forward.

The Hawkeyes’ season and home opener tonight against Texas A&M-Commerce from Carver-Hawkeye Arena is set to begin at 7 p.m. CT and will air on BTN+.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/iowa-basketball-forward-sidelined-ahead-004051907.html

Author : Hawkeyes Wire

Publish date : 2024-11-05 00:40:00

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