Siena men’s basketball expected to lose recruit to Kentucky
Fairleigh Dickinson transfer Ansley Almonor, high priority for Saints, planned to visit Wildcats Tuesday
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.
Then a most unexpected suitor swooped in: blue-blood Kentucky.
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.
“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),” 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.”
