NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 04: West Virginia Mountaineers forward Sagaba Konate (50) during the second half of the College Basketball Game between the Florida Gators and the West Virginia Mountaineers on December 4, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.

Report: Raptors, Konate agree to deal

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Icon Sportswire / Getty

The Toronto Raptors have agreed to a deal with undrafted West Virginia center Sagaba Konate, a league source told The Athletic's Michael Scotto.

Konate is one of the best rim-protectors in this year's class. The 22-year-old is the Mountaineers' all-time leading shot-blocker and ranked third in the nation with 3.2 rejections per contest during the 2017-18 season. Konate's strong play earned him an invite to the NBA combine and he considered going pro that year before ultimately returning to school.

His decision didn't work out, as a knee injury forced him to shut down his junior campaign after just seven appearances. But despite a limited offensive skill set, his outstanding energy and shot-blocking instincts could make him a serviceable backup big man for years.

Bio

Position: C
School: West Virginia
College experience: Junior
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 246 lbs
Wingspan: 7-feet
Max vertical: N/A

What the analysts are saying

  • "Amazing shot-blocker with excellent instincts and fundamentals. Has full command of the rule of verticality, keeping his hands straight up without fouling." - The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor
  • "He’s a powerful athlete, but his heavy build and lack of a defined offensive skill set might impede him from NBA success." - Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo
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