Mbacke Diong decides to stay with UNLV basketball team
Forward Mbacke Diong has removed his name from the NCAA transfer portal and will stay at UNLV.
His decision is a major boost for new Rebels coach T.J. Otzelberger, whose guard-heavy roster needed the strong inside game that the 6-foot-11-inch Diong provides.
Diong started 22 games last season as a sophomore and averaged 6.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots.
His decision to return means UNLV had two open scholarships, and transfer guards David Jenkins of South Dakota State and Elijah Mitrou-Long of Texas are visiting this weekend. If both commit, the Rebels will be out of scholarships to offer unless a player is moved off the roster to create room.
Four players, all forwards, remain in the transfer portal — scholarship players Tervell Beck, Shakur Juiston and Joel Ntambwe and walk-on Louis Bangai. Juiston is a graduate transfer who could play immediately elsewhere, and Ntambwe has decided to also explore turning pro.
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Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.
