Sayon Keita is a young big out of Mali by way of Spain who is currently deciding between numerous high profile college programs. He is a 7’1 215 pound center that has spent the last season with FC Barcelona in Spain. Currently, Keita is part of the 2027 class but he is a potential reclassification candidate into the 2026 class.
Sayon Keita Deciding Between Blue Bloods
Keita has a tough decision on his hands. He has reportedly visited Kansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, and UConn. That is about as good of a list as any recruit could ever ask for. You typically want to have the first say or the last say in recruiting which would be Kansas or UConn. However, there is a lot of buzz about those two teams in the middle of that official visit list.
Kentucky Wildcats
Mark Pope and Kentucky have made a strong push to land Keita. Reportedly, Kentucky really impressed Keita and he left the official visit seriously considering the Wildcats. His skillset fits anyone, but, you can see how his athleticism and size fits a Mark Pope run team quite well. Pope has a strong history of recruiting internationally but he has not dipped into the Africa pipeline much yet. Keita could be the first.
Duke Blue Devils
The majority of college recruiting insiders have Keita as a lean towards Duke. Keita spent time with FC Barcelona this season which has the likes of Dame Sarr and Jabari Parker on the roster. That alone gives Duke a nice edge. Take with that the recent success of Duke with African big man Khaman Maluach and that adds an additional nudge in Duke’s direction.
Sarr and Keita are good friends. Sarr likely is a one-and-done but if he has a lot of success this season, Keita may want to follow suit. If Sarr struggles and spends an extra year in Durham (unlikely) then that makes it even easier for Keita to end up in Durham. The Duke visit went very well and Keita appears to want Duke but the competitors did get a tiny bit closer through the visits.
No matter where he decides to go, Keita is a young, athletic big that will be a project. He is incredibly agile and light on his feet which is impressive for someone of his size. That is a big reason why there are so many high profile coaches and teams knocking down his door. The 2026 class is also quite weak so he will likely end up as one of the most coveted prospects.
Keita will have an immediate college impact even if he is a project. He will be a high-energy five man who can switch one through five. There will also be plenty of rim-running in his future. With his great agility, Keita will be a nightmare to cover in transition and can open up a lot for teammates. Lastly, he will be an immediate rim-protecting presence. He has great length and likely a bit more to add to his height and weight which will only make him tougher. Now, the question is, will that be in Duke blue or Kentucky blue? As of now, the tea leaves say Duke blue.
