UNC’s 5-star center is the biggest winner of Alexandros Samodurov committing

Much has been said in recent days about Michael Malone and North Carolina finally getting things over the line with center commit Alexandros Samodurov. It's a monster get and not even the biggest of Carolina haters can disagree, as the Heels have added pro experience at a major position of need. It's no question a massive win for Malone.

However, is he the biggest winner in all of this? You're going to think we're a bit out of whack for this take, but we're going to have to say no. Instead, the person who's going to benefit the most from this is FC Barcelona center Sayon Keita, the 5-star youngster who will also be making his way to the U.S. to suit up for the ACC powerhouse.

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How so? For weeks now, there had been speculation that maybe some tough news would come in with Samodurov, and Keita would be forced to start despite being a baby-faced teenager about to make his college debut. Instead, he won't have to face that incredible amount of pressure, with his development being a top priority instead moving forward.

Don't forget too that Keita was originally going to be part of the 2027 class, but he reclassified and he'll be playing for North Carolina a year before a lot of us thought he would. This only adds to the importance of bringing him along slowly, but consistently. That's going to be on Sean May to bring out the best in the youngster.

Sayon Keita is easily the biggest winner from UNC landing Alexandros Samodurov

Keita is loaded with potential, but again, throwing him into the fire too soon could have had a negative impact on his confidence. Instead of that being the case, he can take a bit of a backseat to Samodurov and let the experienced playmaker do his thing, while Keita can come off the bench to help out.

Whenever you play for a program like North Carolina, the expectations are going to be through the roof. Imagine if Keita struggled a bit to find his footing to begin his freshman season? The UNC haters, including people in Durham, would have been quick to call him a 5-star bust and rip him consistently online.

Yes, we may be playing the worst-case scenario in our heads, but that kind of an experience could be downright negative for a young player, especially one who is packing his bags and moving so far away from home. Again, luckily, we don't have to worry about that with Keita, as Samodurov can take him under his wing as well.

Earlier this spring, Keita showed off his game in a big way in the recent EuroLeague Youngs Tournament, as he was a blocking machine, while showing his soft touch near the glass. In a few years, we could be talking about Keita being a primetime player and a major contributor for Malone and the Heels. If you ask us, that's exactly the way things should be instead of forcing him into extensive action too soon.

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