Official now: Cartier Diarra won’t return to K-State for senior season with Wildcats
Cartier Diarra’s time with the Kansas State basketball team came to a predictable end on Wednesday.
It is unclear if the redshirt junior guard will turn pro this spring or transfer to a different college team next season, but one thing is for sure: He has played his final game in a K-State uniform.
“Cartier has informed me of his desire to test his pro basketball opportunities with the option to transfer to another school for his final season of eligibility,” K-State coach Bruce Weber said in a statement. “I’m supportive of Cartier’s decision and appreciate the time he has given this program the last four years. He has been a part of many great moments here. We look forward to him graduating this spring and pursuing his dream of playing pro basketball.”
Diarra entered the transfer portal Wednesday, clearing the way for the Wildcats to earnestly pursue new recruits like Donovan Williams, a four-star guard from Lincoln, Nebraska, but the Wildcats also recently offered junior college wing Keon Ellis.
He departs K-State after spending four years in Manhattan, during which he helped the Wildcats reach the Elite Eight in 2018 and share a Big 12 championship with Texas Tech in 2019.
Diarra was a key role player on those teams, but he struggled to evolve into a go-to scorer this season. He averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.8 rebounds, but also averaged 3.2 turnovers and often seemed to clash with his head coach.
It was a turbulent season for Diarra. He was in and out of the starting lineup as the season progressed.
At one point, ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla criticized Diarra for focusing too much on his potential future pro career rather than living in the moment with the Wildcats. Diarra later responded by calling that line of thinking “very false.” But he also got into a heated discussion with Weber during a timeout of a game against Texas Tech that ended with Weber thumping his stool into the floor.
Weber said earlier this week that he expected Diarra to test the pro waters.
If Diarra goes that route, he will have until April 26 to declare for the NBA Draft. Assuming he does so, he will then have nearly two months to impress pro scouts before making a decision on his future.
All early entrants can withdraw their names from the draft process by June 15 and retain their college eligibility, even if they sign with an agent.
If he decides to remain in college, he will be eligible to play immediately as a graduate transfer.
This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Official now: Cartier Diarra won’t return to K-State for senior season with Wildcats."