Five-star center Yohan Traore released his top 10 Friday, On3.com’s Joe Tipton reported. Traore’s list included Tennessee, eight other schools, and the National Basketball League.
Traore is originally from France but is playing basketball in Arizona at Dream City Christian School. The four-star big man ranks as the nation’s 47th best prospect and 10th best center in the 2022 class according to the 247sports composite rankings.
In addition, Rivals currently lists Traore as one of the top overall players in their rankings. Traore is a five-star prospect, the fourth-ranked player in the class, and the top-ranked at his position. So, combining all the rankings, Traore is widely considered to be one of the best rising talents in the country.
The 6-foot-10 big man’s list also includes Memphis, LSU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, UCLA, Utah, Louisville, Michigan, and professional basketball league NBL.
Traore blew up this spring and summer, earning all 15 of his offers since April. Tennessee was the eighth team to offer the big man, doing so on July 9th.
Blessed to receive an offer from @Vol_Hoops 🙏🏾🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/qO0S56pgiG
— Yohan Traore (@traore_yohan) July 10, 2021
The top-50 recruit hasn’t set official visits or shared a timeline for his decision yet. Whether the Vols earn one of Traore’s five official visits will determine how serious of players they are in the big man’s recruitment.
How important proximity to Arizona is will be important to follow too. While being from France likely lessens its importance, but Traore included plenty of western options in his top 10.
B.J. Edwards is Tennessee’s only member of the 2021 class. However, the Vols are deep in the process of recruiting five-stars Brandon Miller and Cason Wallace. So while Tennessee is in the thick of a handful of highly touted guards recruitments, Traore is one of the few highly touted big men Rick Barnes’ Vols have a connection to.
Tennessee’s 2022 class is coming after a massive seven-person 2021 recruiting class. In addition, the Vols also brought in Auburn transfer Justin Powell who has four seasons of eligibility remaining.
How many prep prospects Tennessee basketball can sign is unclear. The Vols have just one senior on this season’s roster but a handful of NBA Draft prospects.
