5-Star Italian Prospect Dame Sarr Commits to Duke After Spanish Pro League Season

Dame Sarr, a 6-foot-8 shooting guard from Italy and a top international basketball prospect, has committed to Duke University, fulfilling his dream to join the program. Sarr, who played for Barcelona in the Spanish ACB and Euroleague, aims to leverage Duke's college environment to prepare for the NBA, combining his professional experience in Europe with NCAA competition against peers his age. He impressed NBA scouts with a strong performance at the Nike Hoop Summit, scoring 17 points and grabbing 4 rebounds, although his participation sparked criticism from Barcelona for leaving without approval. Sarr joins a Duke freshman class that includes the Boozer twins and Nikolas Khamenia, and he is expected to contribute immediately while potentially using college basketball as a stepping stone to enhance his NBA draft prospects. His decision comes amid some uncertainty regarding other Duke players entering the NBA draft, and highlights Duke's continued strategy of recruiting elite international talent. Sarr expressed gratitude for his growth at Barcelona and views Duke as the best next step to become the best version of himself and increase his NBA readiness.