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Sometimes when UK misses on recruits, it turns out to be a good thing in the long run.
That may be the case with five-star center N’Faly Dante, who ultimately picked the Oregon Ducks over UK in the Class of 2019. However, Dante has been ruled ineligible to start the 2019-20 season because because the NCAA missed his clearance date.
Oregon projected NBA lottery pick N'Faly Dante has been informed he will be ineligible to start season because the NCAA missed his clearance date, @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium has learned.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 15, 2019
Dante, a 6’11 big man out of Mali, says he will now reenroll at Oregon on Dec. 14. pic.twitter.com/a05nocBXdZ
Dante will now attempt to re-enroll in December, so he’s going to miss at least a month of the regular season, a big blow for an Oregon team predicted to win the Pac-12 and be a top-four seed in the 2020 NCAA Tournament. Dante was also a preseason All-Pac-12 selection.
Had Dante picked UK, the Cats may have opened the season as the preseason No. 1 team and been the favorite to win the 2020 NCAA Championship. He was viewed as a missing piece for a frontcourt severely lacking depth, especially at center.
Now, Oregon will have to wait on Dante until December, while UK now has the same team it had in the summer.