Siena men’s basketball appeared ready to close the deal with Fairleigh Dickinson transfer Ansley Almonor, an important addition to new head coach Gerry McNamara’s first recruiting class.
Almonor, a 6-foot-7 forward, told Kentucky Sports Radio he would be visiting Kentucky on Tuesday. He had a Zoom meeting on Saturday with the coaching staff, including new Wildcats head coach Mark Pope.
Besides the obvious prestige of playing for a Kentucky program that has won eight NCAA championships, Almonor is poised to make much more in name, image and likeness money with the Wildcats. Almonor has an NIL agent, Trevor Harris of DeVore Sports Group.
” texted Frank Ambrose, co-founder of the Siena-endorsed NIL collective Saints March On. “It happens and we are ready to help coach close those remaining spots.”
Almonor also visited MAAC rival Iona and Pepperdine.We did everything to help offer him a great NIL package and were (in) the lead vs other mid majors but obviously weren’t expecting to compete with a P5 (power-five program),”
If Siena loses Almonor as expected, McNamara would have two scholarships remaining for next season, if he chooses to use both.
Almonor visited Siena on April 16 and 17, one of nine recruits to come to the campus. The other eight have committed.
