Top international basketball player has UCF among finalists

UCF head coach Johnny Dawkins is looking to add a big-time international prospect to fill out his 2017 recruiting class.

Olivier Sarr, who is a 6-foot-11, 225-pound center from Toulouse, France, says he's currently in the United States for a college tour that will include official visits to UCF, Cal, Wake Forest and Vanderbilt.

Sarr just completed the visit to Cal, attending the Bears' Sunday home win against Colorado. He's expected to be in Orlando early next week and will attend UCF's Feb. 14 game against Tulsa.

In recruiting circles, Sarr has flown mostly under the radar as he only recently decided to pursue playing college basketball in the U.S.

According to his profile at DraftExpress.com, Sarr is considered somewhat of a late bloomer having grown five inches in the past two years. Overall strength and offensive game still need work, but he's proven to be adept defensively in both rebounding and shot blocking.

UCF Basketball has seen a complete turnaround in the first season under Johnny Dawkins. Next year's team, which will have considerably more talent and depth with the addition of four transfers to go along with the incoming recruiting class, could make the argument, roster wise, to be NCAA tournament contending. The addition of Sarr would make for a formidable front court that would also include 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall and 6-foot-11 Rokas Ulvydas, who will be eligible after transferring from Texas Tech.

UCF's 2017 recruiting class already includes guard Daniel Lewis and forwards Myles Douglas and Kani Coles.