Ousmane Cisse

10/25/02: "He signed with a team in Russia few months ago."

7/20/01: "...the case of Ousmane Cisse is the most disturbing example of bad advice, misguided people and delusions of guaranteed money.
But Tuesday, at the Denver Nuggets' rookie and free-agent camp, Cisse, a native of Mali who bolted to the NBA right out of a small Montgomery, Ala., high school, stood next to a tape measure and went 6-feet-6½. That's nearly 3 inches shorter than his listed height.
Combine that with a bum knee, few recognizable skills and increasing doubts that this man-child is really 18 and Cisse's NBA future isn't exactly bright. According to the Denver Post, the Nuggets coaching staff says he isn't even on the summer roster, and his chances of making the team are slim." - CBS Sportsline


11/14/00: "Power forward supreme Ousmane Cisse will probably take five official and three unofficial visits this Winter. His guardian, Don Jackson, told Border Wars Hoops that his recruitment is still basically wide open but the schools that lead right now include Miami, Michigan, Memphis, Louisville, Duke, Arkansas, Virginia, North Carolina and possibly Kentucky. He is a big-time difference maker in the paint. Great player and great kid!" - Border Wars Hoops

11/14:
http://www.highmajorhoops.com/november/November15_cisse.html

11/7: "The other night, Hurt said he didn't think his decision would impact Ousmane Cisse. Crum thought otherwise. "The reason why [coach Crum] needed me to sign in the fall was because I would have a big influence on Ousmane, David Harrison and Dennis Coutee. Really, we are going for Ousmane first. He can play the four, and Harrison can play the five. [Coach Crum] is a real convincing guy. He talked real well and I am sure he's dealt with somebody like this before."
Now, Hurt turns his attention to helping hisCardinals secure a commitment from Cisse. "I've talked to him on the phone three of four times, and I'll continue to do that." - Rivals100 Hoops

10/4: "WHAS in Louisville reported Wednesday that Ousmane Cisse will be on hand to watch his older brother's first collegiate practice Oct 14th. Apparently, TJ will be there as well. (if he makes it out of Cincy this weekend)" - mssg board, Rivals100 Hoops

9/27: "is still in the process of taking his in home visits but will be narrowing his list down soon, according to his guardian Don Jackson. "No commitment," said his guardian, Don Jackson. "My phone has rang a lot today. But there has been no commitment or decision. Ousmane is still open." There was a radio report, merely an opinion on where Cisse would go, that ignited the rumor fires. The radio announcer in question did not state Cisse had committed but said in his opinion he was going to go to Louisville. It was due to this reason why Jackson fielded several phone calls. Initially, reports surfaced that a radio station had said Cisse had committed but in fact the announcer did not state that. Cisse has a list of Louisville, Memphis, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan, Florida State, Virginia, Georgia, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Seton Hall. "Each of these schools has an equal shot," said his guardian, Don Jackson. Jackson told us they will sit down and discuss the visits sometime late next week. Cisse is likely to cut the list down to around five to eight schools. Jackson said the reason why Ousmane will wait until the spring before signing is because of the turnover of coaches. Jackson told us that Ousmane may take an unofficial visit to Virginia soon. "He could take one official visit this Fall but is likely to take his visits during basketball season," Jackson said." - ACC Recruiting Update

9/18: "has taken in home visits thus far with Louisville, Memphis, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan, Florida State, Virginia, and Georgia.
Cisse also expects to have in home visits with Purdue, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Seton Hall. "Each of these schools has an equal shot," said his guardian, Don Jackson. Jackson told us they will sit down and discuss the visits sometime late next week. Cisse is likely to cut the list down to around five to eight schools. "We want to give Ousmane as much information as possible," Jackson told us. "Each of the in homes have been good." - Insiders Report

9/12: Will have an in home with Calipari/Memphis this Friday the 15th, per MidSouth Hoops.

9/11: "Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff will conduct an in-home visit with Ousmane and his guardian Don Jackson this coming Thursday, September 14." - The (Duke) Devils Den

9/10: Cisse had North Carolina in today for an in-home visit.

9/7: Named to High Major Hoops Sept 00 All American First Team

9/6: "It looks like Cincy is out on Eddy Curry and we have not heard much recently on Ousmane Cisse, who most people are conceding to Louisville." - The Schmidt Bro's on All Star Report

8/29: "During July, the scuttlebutt pegged him for Louisville. His brother is a freshman for the Cardinals and that doesn't hurt Denny Crum's chances. Common knowledge says don't bet against Louisville, and we'd advise listening to that argument. But, you just never know. Cisse might set the record for in-home visits this September." - Rivals100 Hoops

8/25: "Louisville already has 6'2 Carlos Hurt from Alief (Alief-Elsik) TX and, as we reported in the Members Section several days ago, they also likely will get 6'9 Ousmane Cisse" - HoopScoop

8/22: "will still wait until the Spring before making a decision, according to his guardian, Don Jackson. "Ousmane is going to have some in home visits first," Jackson said. "But his first priority is school. He began his first day of school yesterday." Jackson told us he expects Ousmane to have in home visits with Kentucky, Louisville, Duke, North Carolina, Michigan, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Florida State, Virginia, and Arkansas. UCLA called yesterday and appears wants to get involved in the recruiting process, according to Jackson. "Ousmane does not have a leader," Jackson said. "We kind of laugh at some of these internet reports saying that this school is a leader and this school is rising and this school is out. Ousmane is still open." Jackson did say that a Kentucky assistant coach will be present for an in home visit with Ousmane with coach Tubby Smith away at the Olympics. Cisse did not play last year due to him being a foreign student but he will be back at St. Jude next year for his senior season. Cisse was one of the top five performers this past summer in AAU play. Cisse is a legimate McDonald's All American candidate. More details on Cisse tomorrow at the mcdonaldsallamerican.rivals.com website. Jackson said previously the reason why Ousmane will wait until the spring before signing is because of the turnover of coaches. "What sense would it make to sign something in the Fall and the coach not be there in the spring," Jackson said. "It would not be smart." - Insiders Report

8/18: "The best rebounder I saw (all summer) was Cisse" - Frank Burlison, FoxSports

8/5: "he is relentless on the boards, flies through the lane blocking shots so hard they echo in the gym and beats his man down the floor on nearly every possession. Cisse plays with the energy of a 5 year old kid after 2 Slurpees. His armpits are completely over the rim on some of his powerful dunks. The best way to describe Cisse on the boards is to imagine five post players battling for a rebound, and then picture Ousmane rising above all of them to grab the rebound, and this happens nearly every time. Cisse gets the nod for MVP of our Fire Team." - High Major Hoops

8/4: "I spoke directly to Cisse's legal guardian Don Jackson last night. According to Mr. Jackson, the personality of the coaching staff and the relationship that exists between the coaches in question and Ousmanne (and family) is critically important in the decision making process. Of equal importance is the overall academic quality of an institution especially the graduation rates of the players. Moreover, Mr. Jackson explained the significance of a program's style of play indicating that an up-tempo system of play may be preferable in that it would accentuate Ousmanne's terrific athleticism. However, school's which employ a more half-court structured approach are not necessarily eliminated from contention. With respect to Louisville and the impact of the commitment of Ousmanne's brother to the Cardinals, Mr. Jackson stated, "Every situation is unique and every situation is different. His brother's decision was his brother's, and Ousmanne's decision will be Ousmanne's." - ACC Recruiting Update

8/1: 4th best player in the USA.
4. Ousmane Cisse, PF/C, 6-8/223, Montgomery, Ala./Sidney Lanier: Terrific head-to-head vs. Chandler. Capable of triple-double each outing. Has attention of head coaches (Louisville, Georgia Tech) every game." - Steve Wacaser. Sporting News

8/1: "we still think Louisville will be tough to beat and one of the big reasons is that head coach Denny Crum has (practically) lived with Cisse and 6'2 Carlos Hurt from Alief (Alief-Elsik) TX, who verbally committed to the Cardinals in early June, most of the summer. As a matter of fact, Crum wins our Most Visible Head Coach of the Summer Award, because he's been at all the major events this summer." - HoopScoop

7/28: "Cisse, who looks closer to 6-8 than his listed 6-10, is powerful enough to handle Curry and any other bulky post player. But Cisse showed quickness and power when he dunked right on Curry. Cisse's quickness is impressive at his size (6-8, 240), especially when you consider the foreign-born player began playing hoops his first year in America, which was his sophomore year in high school. After earning Alabama player of the year honors as a sophomore, Cisse had to sit out his junior year due to an Alabama state high school athletics federation rule. What is the secret to his athleticism, mobility, quick hops and quick feet despite his size? He grew up playing soccer. " - Sporting News

7/28: "A report says that Cisse's five official visits are expected to be to Duke, North Carolina, Michigan State, Cincinnati and Louisville." - AE Hoops

7/28: "Perhaps the best player in the country that we have seen this year. Cisse is the "Ultimate Warrior" on the court. He is faster than most GUARDS, jumps higher than any other post player and dunks with powerful authority. Many analysts call his offensive game "raw," but I see it differently. Cisse will either dunk on you, or get to the free throw line. Excels in the open court, frequently seen flying through the air for loud rejections and grabbing rebounds. Exceptional athlete, plays with intensity at ALL times. Hits free throws, quick moves to the baseline and usually too strong and fast for defenders. Schools considering: Louisville signed his brother Daouda Cisse this year, therefore making them a definite possibility. Duke, Kentucky, Iowa, Michigan State, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Cincinnati and others are making their efforts felt." - High Major Hoops

7/27: "It will likely go down as the best battle of the entire summer. We're talking about the matchup earlier today between 6'11 Eddy Curry from South Holland (Thornwood) IL and 6'9 Ousmane Cisse from Montgomery (St. Jude) AL in the 17-Under AAU Junior Boys' Basketball National Championship in Orlando, FL. If Curry hadn't shown up, Cisse likely would have done what he did to 7'0 Tyson Chandler from Compton (Dominguez) CA at the NIKE All-American Camp two and a half weeks ago. And just like the game at Chandler at the NIKE Camp, Cisse, who has the reputation for being the ultimate warrior, had been eagerly anticipating this game. On the other hand, Curry, who has a reputation for not always playing hard, told several people we know before the contest that to him it was just another game. However, very early in the game Curry found out that he was in for a challenge, as Cisse made a powerful move to the basket that resulted in an earthshattering slam dunk. And Curry responded! He still needs to get into better shape, but he played harder than we've seen him play all spring or summer and he used his monmouth frame to push Cisse around and dominate in the paint. However, Cisse wasn't intimidated and he did his share of pushing back. In the end Cisse finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, while Curry had 16 points, four rebounds, and four blocks. But don't let the statistics deceive you. It was a near draw, because Cisse had plenty of help putting the double and triple team on Curry throughout the game. The bottom line is that with his incredible athleticism, quickness, and strength, Cisse is every bit as good as advertised. That's right! His performance at the NIKE All-American Camp was no fluke and anybody who thinks he'll just be a role player in the NBA will be in for a major surprise. Not only was Cisse a force inside on the boards and blocking shots, but he also showed that he has the ability to shoot over somebody with Curry's size from out to about 10'. Curry, on the other hand, needs to play like this all the time. And if the light ever clicks on and he does, he could quickly become one of the most dominating players to ever play the game, as well as the #1 or #2 choice in the NBA draft." - HoopScoop

7/27: "After 'taking Tyson Chandler's heart' at Nike as one college coach put it, Ousmane Cisse was ready to do battle with Eddy Curry. From the beginning, it was clear the referees were going to let the pair wage war on the blocks. After Cisse threw down a monster dunk early, the tone for this one was set. Basically, Cisse out hustled Curry the entire game, that much isn't up for debate. That part is going to happen every time because there isn't a player in the nation who gets after it the way Ousmane does. However, who actually won this battle certainly is a topic for discussion. My first instinct was to award the bout to Cisse and a case certainly could be made for him as the victor. However, as I thought about the situation and reviewed my notes, I came to the conclusion that the way to probably score this one would be more along the lines of a draw. Yep, I chickened out. When Cisse caught the ball down low on the blocks, he was able to maneuver his way around the giant and score some points. When he caught the ball in the high post, aside from one fade away jumper, Curry was more successful. Let's give credit to Ousmane for getting position down low and scoring around the bigger Curry. It must also be stressed that Curry shouldn't have let Cisse make catches in areas where he could be successful. He's the bigger, wider player and should have done a better job of staying his ground. Kudos to Cisse for getting the job done down low, and not so good grades to Curry for letting him establish that position." - Rivals100Hoops

7/25: Ousmane Cisse; 6-7; The Challenge; St. Jude High in Montgomery, Ala. "Still very raw offensively but there isn't a more willing rebounder and front-line competitor in the Class of 2001." - Frank Burlison, FoxSports

7/23: "I spoke with Don Jackson (Cisse's legal guardian) today and was looking for a general update on his outstanding prospect. Cisse is currently playing at the Orlando Supershowcase in sunny Florida, providing coaches another glimmer at the highly touted phenom. As reported earlier, Cisse has received interest from Matt Doherty and the staff at UNC. Jackson provided more detail into the UNC situation. Jackson says that Doherty called and told him that "Ousmane is a major priority for UNC." Doherty then proceeded to ask if there was any mutual interest from the aggressive post player, to which Jackson replied "certainly Ousmane would have interest in North Carolina." Jackson also said that Ousmane is looking to narrow his list in the next month and is "nowhere near making a decision, contrary to other recruiting sites reports."

When asked about the possible lure of the NBA, Jackson stated that it was a popular question from many people lately, but that Ousmane's focus remains on college. Virtually every major college program has expressed interest in Cisse, some have been turned away and some like North Carolina will be in the hunt." -High Major Hoops and uncbasketball.com

http://www.uncbasketball.com/recruiting/class2001/cisse.shtml

7/23: "when you look at Cisse in action, you get the impression that he's the man, the rest are boys. He looks and plays much bigger than his listed 6 foot seven inches, and the NBA body, no, make that NFL body is already there. Ousmane, pronounced 'ooze mon', scored many points in the paint where he is hard to contain, but on this day he showed very little outside game, which he doesn't need since he is so effective near the bucket. He handled the ball well in the open floor, leading several breaks on the dribble and some coast to coast slams. A couple of things Big O may need to work on are his ball handling skills in the set offense, and a few times he mistimed his jumps on defense, leaving his feet too early. Cisse could be compared to Donnell Harvey in tenacity and strength, but he looks to have more offense and handle. On this day, in my opinion, he was the best player on the hardwood." - kentucky.rivals

7/23: "a true physical specimen and he obviously spends a lot of time weight training. Although only about 6'7" tall he plays much bigger due to his strength and incredibly long arms. Although he's not a big scorer his rebounding and defense are topnotch and he certainly plays to his strengths as evidenced by the fact that he seems to always get the ball on offense close to the basket where he quickly tomahawk dunks the ball or spins and lays it in off the glass. Fans will love him because he plays hard every single play. He took several glances at the UK coaches at various points in both his games today. In a way-to-go-bro moment, after Ousmanne fouled out, Daouda, his brother, who will attend UL this fall, won the game for the Challenge in overtime on a last second shot." - kentucky.rivals

7/22: "Most coaches were there to view the powerful Ousmane Cisse, a 6'7, 245 pound power forward, who has yet to choose a college. Cisse had a pretty overpowering performance against young Torin Francis, who is a 6'10 rising junior. Francis did not have the strength to compete against Cisse, but neither had a decided advantage. As it turned out, Cisse finished with 10 points and fouled out with less than four minutes remaining. Cisse never seemed to get in synch, and missed several chip shots within five feet. Although Cisse fouled out, his teammates would eventually pick him up, as they came back to tie the score and send it to overtime." - ACC Recruiting Update

7/21: "Had (Louisville asst coach Vince) Taylor gone back to his alma mater (of Duke), it would likely have assured that the Blue Devils would have gotten 6'9 Ousmane Cisse from Montgomery (St. Jude) AL, who currently ranks as the #2 senior in America by the HOOP SCOOP. They may get him anyway, especially if the recruiting process drags on several months, because the Blue Devils started making a strong push for Cisse when he was sensational earlier this month at the NIKE All-American Camp. However, Taylor, who is now emerging as one of the best recruiters in the nation, has done a great job recruiting Cisse for Louisville. As a matter of fact, his legal guardian Don Jackson told us at the NBA Players Association Camp on July 1st that the big reason why Louisville was so strong with Cisse was because he thinks so highly of Taylor. The same also can be said about Taylor and his relationship with 6'2 Carlos Hurt from Alief (Alief-Elsik) TX, who has let it be know that he may have to rethink his commitment to Louisville, if Taylor were to leave for another job." - HoopScoop

7/20: "#1 ranked PF in the USA. 6-7/220, Montgomery, Ala./Sidney Lanier -- Louisville, Cincinnati, Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan State, Duke, UCLA, Connecticut, North Carolina. Scintillating at Nike with enormous showing vs. Tyson Chandler, the No. 1 ranked center in the nation. Tireless effort conjures thoughts of a young Hakeem Olajuwon. Averaged triple-double before sitting out '99-00 as a transfer student." - Steve Wacaser, Sporting News

7/18: "Ousmane really is wide open,” said Donald Jackson, a Montgomery attorney who is the guardian for Cisse as well as Cisse's brother. Daouda Cisse, also 6-9, recently signed with Louisville and will play hoops there. Asked the obvious question, Jackson laughed and said, “In some respects, that is an advantage for Louisville, but they make independent decisions. And coming from so far away, being in one place or another for college means nothing in terms of geography.

If I had to project a 40-yard dash time for Ousmane, I would say around 4.4 seconds. I’ve never seen a big man run like him. It’s amazing! He has a 42-inch vertical jump; you just don’t see big guys get off the floor like he does. I think part of his athleticism can be attributed to the fact that Ousmane grew up playing soccer and not basketball. The basketball skills seem to come naturally. (snip) He would get up around 4:45 in the morning, walk to the Y and work out from five to 6:30. Then, in the afternoon after school, he would be back lifting again because he couldn’t practice basketball. He started to see the progress and he got excited about working out.”

Cisse has a 3.3 grade-point average and will take the SAT for the first time this fall. “The language barrier shouldn’t be as great for him as it is for many other foreign students because he has been speaking English and hearing it for two years." He will use the use the remainder of the summer to take unofficial visits and will make his official ones during basketball season. He will not sign early.
- ACC Today

7/13: Listed as the best player at Nike Camp. - HoopScoop

7/12: "Denny Crum, Jerry Green, and Mike Krzyzewski were present at many of Ousmane Cisse's games." - AllStar Report

7/11: rated best overall center at Nike Camp. - FastBreak

- 'OOS-mahn SEE-say' -

7/11: "(Cisse's AAU coach) Jackson informed us that Ousmane Cisse will be visiting Louisville today for his next unofficial visit. Cisse visited Georgia Tech recently and came away impressed with the campus as well as Paul Hewitt. Ousmane is "nowhere near making a decision at this time and will probably not commit early," according to Jackson. Any speculation that Louisville will be getting a verbal commitment by Ousmane this week is "simply untrue," says Jackson. Cisse who has outplayed highly touted Tyson Chandler and numerous other post players this week at Nike, is making a strong case for the number one player in the country, along with Kelvin Torbert.
There is no other player on the high school level that exerts the physical efforts that Cisse brings on a daily basis, plus the fact that he simply jumps higher, runs faster than 95% of the guards in this class. Jackson says that Cisse physically dominated Chandler at both ends of the floor and blocked four of Chandler's shots and frustrated the usual dominating center into a technical foul that forced Chandler out of the game with his fifth violation. Cisse also has "hit a couple three pointers and taken the ball coast to coast, he is showing everyone the complete player that he is." - High Major Hoops

7/10: "Tyson Chandler has long been the most talked about player in the country and has faced all challengers across the land. But until last night I don't know if he ever faced an opponent like the powerful Ousamne Cisse. Cisse is without question the toughest, hardest working player in the country and one look at his chiseled body tells the whole story.
Cisse blocked the first 4 of Tyson shots and sent them into the stands. He was just to strong for Tyson and outplayed him on both ends of the floor. Tyson kept trying different moves to get free, only to have Cisse block his shot. On the other end, Cisse bullied Tyson to the basket and scored or got fouled. He dunked one time so hard the fans behinds the basket got up and moved in fear. Tyson fouled out with about 4 minutes to go in the game and Cisse was the clear winner in that match up. They will face off again at the Peach Jam next week so be ready for a war." - MidWestHoops

7/10: Rated 7th in USA. - FastBreak Recruiting

7/10: "Well, we've waited for three days for something spectacular to happen and it finally happened in the last game of the evening last night at the NIKE All-American Camp in Indianapolis, IN. It is already a foregone conclusion that 7'0 Tyson Chandler from Compton (Dominguez) CA, who ranks #2 nationally in the senior class by the HOOP SCOOP, will bypass college and go directly into the NBA draft a year from now. But right now he might be having second thoughts after his encounter with 6'9 Ousmane Cisse from Montgomery (St Jude) AL. Cisse not only out played Chandler, but he gave him a taste of what it will be like to play at the highest level after next season. As a matter of fact, Cisse's domination of Chandler was so complete that it was reminscent of when Donnell Harvey met Leon Smith at the adidas Big Time Tournament two years (ago). In this game Chandler wanted no part of playing against Cisse inside, because he was quicker, stronger physically, and a lot more aggressive. With this performance, Cisse edges out 6'9 Jr Amare Stoudamire from Mouth of Wilson (Oak Hill) VA as the #1 player in camp." - HoopScoop

7/6: "Despite reports to the contrary, Cisse is only about 6-8, tops. But this well-muscled native of Africa plays the game with a spirit that draws comparisons to recent NBA draftee Donnell Harvey. Simply put, Cisse is a shot-blocking, dunking fool who attacks the rim like it said something about his momma. Offensively, he's a low-block specialist who likes to dropstep and pound his body relentlessly into the man guarding him, intent on making his defender give ground until he has pushed him under the rim. Finesse is not a word he would know should it appear on his SAT." - ESPN, Nike Camp Notes

7/5: Played in the NBPA Camp and was rated the best Center there by FastBreak Recruiting. Eddy Curry did not play (ankle injury), but he did beat out Jamaal Sampson from Calif and Emeka Okafor from Houston.

6/5: "A source close to Cisse relayed the following list of schools the big fella is said to be taking a long look at heading into the summer period. Rest assured, if your favorite program isn't on the list right now, it could be in the near future since Cisse hasn't closed the doors on any interested parties. Our source says Louisville, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Duke, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Iowa and Iowa State are on Cisse's mind at this juncture. Obviously, the signing by Louisville of Cisse's older brother could have an impact on what Ousmane does. It's quite fair to say that the Cardinals will certainly be a large player in his recruitment and have a distinct advantage. This list is merely a snapshot of what Cisse is thinking right now and additions and/or subtractions can and will take place over the coming months. - Rivals100Hoops

5/31: "Cisse, a center and power forward from Montgomery, Alabama plays with an intense passion and desire rarely seen on the hardwood today. In today's game of basketball, more often than not, players seem to rely on pure talent and athleticism rather than hustle and desire. Ousmane Cisse, a 6-foot-9 big man from Montgomery, AL (via Africa) is an incredible combination of a person with great athletic ability and an even bigger desire to be the very best basketball player he can be. Cisse, who plays for St. Jude H.S. & Pepsi Challenge (AAU), has the heart of a lion. I first saw Ousmane play after his sophomore year at the Bob Gibbons Tournament exactly one year ago and could not believe his amazing desire to get to every rebound and loose ball on the floor. I was even more impressed with how polished his offensive game was around the basket. One year later (this past weekend), Cisse showed me even more offensive moves in addition to improved defensive prowess. His combination of offense, defense, desire and attitude has made him my number one prospect IF I were a college head coach looking for a player. Cisse has a large list of schools which includes Louisville, Auburn, Alabama, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Florida, Duke, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan State, Cincinnati & Iowa. Louisville wisely signed Ousmane's brother, Daouda to a scholarship last month. Many feel that signature instantly put the Cardinals into the lead for this talented big man. Ousmane and his brother are extremely close and may end up playing collegiately together but it is far from being a done deal. He will concentrate this summer on becoming a better player and then decide on his collegiate future soon after." - BorderWarsHoops

5/30: "An athlete that was simply on another level as opposed to many of the players we saw this weekend at the Bob Gibbons TOC was 6'9 245 pound Ousmane Cisse. He worked the paint, utilizing his phenomenal athletic prowess and jumping ability and had the work ethic to score on every possession. Cisse is perhaps the best raw athlete that I saw this weekend with a legitimate argument from 6'11 Kwame Brown of the Georgia Stars. His body is a very lean muscular 245 pounds and he was rather imposing without a shirt. Cisse is a big time target of many basketball programs across the nation, yet his recruitment is a bit of a mystery due to his legal guardian, Don Jackson, who also is an attorney from the state of Alabama. Jackson handles all reporters questions and is very difficult to attain any pertinent information from. It is still very early however and we are quite sure that a better read from Jackson could be of help at a later date. Cisse's defensive game is more advanced than his offensive game at this time, but it's relatively easy to see the manner in which he uses his feet and positions his body in the post, that he is indeed one good coach away from being an All-American caliber player. Cisse's brother Daouda signed with Louisville this year and it is speculated that the younger sibling may join his brother and play for Denny Crum, but as I said Ousmane is a bit of a mystery recruit at the current time. - ACC Recruiting Update

5/9: "One of the top performers at this past weekend's Spiece Event was 6-10 240 lb., Ousmane Cisse from Montgomery, AL (Saint Jude HS). He is a tremendous shot blocker who is very good at finishing plays around the basket. Ousmane should also be considered one of the best, if not the best defensive big man in next year's class. Despite having to sit out this past season because of a transfer ruling, schools such as Iowa, Florida, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Louisville, Mississippi State, and Duke have shown a lot of interest in this young man. In addition to being a strong ball player, Cisse is also a good student who takes care of his academic priorities." - All Star Report

5/8: "Simply one of the best prospects in the Class of 2001. He's as active as they come and has made it his mission to contest as many shots as he can. In the (Spiece) event, he recorded numerous games in which he blocked double-digit shots. He's too strong for most high schoolers to handle on the blocks. Physically, he's a man amongst boys. Often times, he'll face up and put himself in the triple-threat position where he actually can hit some short-to-medium-range jumpers. When he rebounds, he's great at looking for an outlet and getting down the floor in a hurry. However, blocking shots with his elbows and armpits appears to be his specialty." - Rivals100Hoops, Spiece Tourney notes

5/5: "...other kids who are awesome are the Cisse kid from Alabama and Eddie Curry from Illinois Gold. Cisse is playing with Bobby Madison and the Challenge team. Heard he is surprised Indiana has only sent one (recruiting) letter---he wants a school that really works the fundamentals. He is a tremendous 6'10 shotblocker. Kind of like Alonzo Mourning. - MrHoops, Speice Tourney notes

4/26: "Daouda Cisse is the 6-8 brother of elite Class of 2001 recruit Ousmane Cisse. Ousmane is currently playing AAU ball. An Alabama High School Athletic Association ruling kept BF/C Ousmane Cisse, a prominent member of the Class of 2001, out of action this season. However, he's playing basketball again for Pepsi Challenge, an Alabama-based AAU team. According to Don Jackson, his legal guardian, he'll attend the Nike All-American Camp this summer. Apparently, Ousmane has his sights squarely set on playing against the likes of Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. High-major programs from around the nation, including Duke, Syracuse, Virginia, Louisville, UCLA, the SEC and ACC, are lining up to begin recruiting him this summer.
- Rivals100Hoops

4/13: Named the 6th best player in the class of 2001 by Dave Telep of Rivals 100.
- Named the 9th best player in the class of 2001 by MidWest Hoops

4/6: "..is presently in the preliminary stage of the recruiting process and as a result he is completely "wide open". That said, Mr. Jackson did offer a valuable tidbit of recruiting information when he told me, " Alabama and Auburn are not in the equation". Incidentally, Ousmanne maintained a 3.5 grade point average this year and therefore should not experience any undue academic difficulties at the collegiate level. Schools showing much interest in Cisse are Duke, Cincinnati, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, and Virginia. - ACC Recruiting Update

3/15/2000: "Perhaps one of the biggest mysteries in the junior class is 6'10 240 lbs. F/C Ousmane Cisse from St. Jude HS in Montgomery, AL. It's no mystery whether he can play, as he dominated last year's Adidas ABCD camp and was a terror for Montgomery Catholic last season. The question is how good is Cisse now? Ousmane didn't play for St. Jude this past season because of a problem with his transfer from Catholic HS. So no one has seen him play (outside of private workouts at the YMCA) since last summer. However, sitting out this season has not impeded the tidal wave of recruiting interest from just about every high major school in the nation. Cisse gets mail regularly from Cincinnati, Louisville, Duke, Stanford, Kentucky, Virginia, Connecticut, Auburn, Alabama, Michigan State, Florida, Iowa, St. John's and Mississippi State among many others - AllStarReport

1/27/2000: Prepstars has him as the 6th best Junior in the country.

Summer 99: Was ranked 25th best player in his class by Hoopscoop

Jan 99: "Among a plethora of highly promising sophomore big men is 6-9 center Ousmane Cisse of Montgomery (Ala.) Montgomery Catholic. This quick, long-armed athlete is a native of Mali in Africa. He is currently averaging 17 points and 14 rebounds per contest. In one game he blocked an incredible 17 shots. - Brick Oettinger