Atiki Ally Atiki Officially Signs Letter Of Intent With BYU Basketball
Apr 16, 2021, 5:03 PM | Updated: Apr 17, 2021, 8:31 am
The Marriott Center, home to BYU basketball. (BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
(BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
PROVO, Utah – Atiki Ally Atiki has a unique path to the BYU basketball program. From Tanzania to Canada and now to Provo. Ally Atiki officially signed his letter of intent with BYU, the school announced on Friday.
#BYU officially announces Atiki Ally Atiki.
From Tanzania to Canada to Provo.#BYUHoops @kslsports https://t.co/LGpKHYi5Pj https://t.co/sFsF4EQM5y
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) April 16, 2021
“We are incredibly excited to announce Atiki as the newest member of the BYU basketball family,” BYU coach Mark Pope said in a press release. “Growing up in Tanzania, Atiki will bring to our team a fresh world view and added diversity in our continued pursuit of the best locker room in America. He is humble, hungry, and has an overwhelmingly-special work ethic that Cougar Nation will fall in love with. He is a gifted athlete with length, athleticism, and touch around the rim. He is sure to become a fan favorite and have a major impact on BYU basketball and our entire community for years to come.”
Atiki Ally Atiki turned down Oklahoma to sign with BYU
Checking in at 6-foot-11, Atiki is a prospect with a ton of upside. He has a 7-foot-2 wingspan and received offers from Oklahoma and San Diego State.
Atiki was ranked as the No. 5 college basketball prospect in Canada by Canada’s National Preparatory Association. He averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds in his junior season. COVID-19 heavily impacted Atiki’s senior season as Canada had limited athletic events during the pandemic.
With the addition of Atiki, BYU now has three signees in their 2021 recruiting class. The other two are from the state of Utah in Wasatch Academy’s Fousseyni Traore and Timpview’s Jake Wahlin.
BYU Basketball will have three players from Africa on next year’s roster
Next year’s BYU roster will have three players from Africa in Atiki (Tanzania), Traore (Mali), and returning starter Gideon George (Nigeria). George commented on Atiki’s signing, “Let’s go Atiki!! Hype for my brother.”
Let’s go Atiki!! Hype for my brother. https://t.co/aGf8vv2gA4
— Gideon George (@GideonOmohkudu) April 16, 2021
George got to know Atiki through his recruitment and now they will be teammates in a BYU program looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament next season.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
