Not only did the Vols knock off No. 15 Butler on Sunday, a 5-star prospect was in Thompson-Boling Arena to see it. Abdul Ado, a 6-10, 230 pound center from Chattanooga, Tenn., was on an unofficial visit to Tennessee this weekend and sat behind the Vol bench during UT’s 67-55 win over Butler.
Ado is a member of the 2016 recruiting class and is regarded as one of the best shot blockers in the nation. He’s rated as a 5-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals, as a 4-star prospect by Scout and ESPN and is a consensus top-25 prospect nationally. Louisville, Georgia, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Tennessee and Penn State have all offered the talented big man.
Originally from Nigeria, Ado moved to the United States in February. He lived with a host family in Atlanta this summer and played for the Georgia Stars – a team that has produced eight McDonald’s All-Americans and seven current NBA players. Ado now plays for Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga. He’s interested in studying engineering in college– an area where Tennessee is very strong academically.
“A lot of recruits want to go to the schools to see their basketball and athletics facilities, but I’m more of an education person, so I just want to see how the school and education (aspects are),” Ado told The Courier-Journal in July. “I know for sure with the basketball facilities, they have everything a basketball player should need.”
The Vols have a legitimate shot at landing the 5-star center. Ado’s length and shot-blocking ability would be a great fit in Tyndall’s system. He moves well for a prospect of his size and can elevate quickly. He’s still a bit raw, but has all the tools to be a star at the collegiate level.
