Mamadi Diakite has experienced one of the more unique paths as to how he arrived at Blue Ridge School. Growing up in Conakry, Guinea, Mamadi loved soccer and played on a regular basis with his friends in the neighborhood. It wasn’t until he physically outgrew soccer that his dad suggested he give basketball a try. Being introduced to basketball at 14 was definitely “late”, but Mamadi’s background in soccer gave him extraordinary footwork and timing which carried over to the court. Less than two years later, the family sought the advice of a sports consultant to help find a high school in the US where Mamadi could continue learning the game and receive a great college prep education. Fortunately for Blue Ridge School, one of the consultant’s college teammates at Loyola University (MD) was Tony Lewis ’06. Tony’s fond memories of the BRS experience as a student and athlete was what inspired the consultant to connect the family with the BRS admission’s staff.
Arriving in the middle of the school year is not easy for any student, but especially difficult for international students who do not speak English as their first language. He arrived in January of 2014, halfway through the school year and halfway through the Baron’s 2013-14 basketball season. The gangly 6’7” teenager spoke very little English and was just as inexperienced on the basketball court. It was obvious his future could be bright, depending on how quickly Mamadi got comfortable on the court and how quickly he learned to communicate with his peers and the rest of the BRS community.
This is where the close-knit community starting paying dividends. Mamadi’s faculty advisor was also a French teacher and fluent in Mamadi’s native language in Guinea. Mr. Hetzel and the BRS registrar (also able to speak French) began assisting him as he became more comfortable in this English-speaking environment. His teammates began to take him under their wings which helped him learn more about the game and how to converse in English on a regular basis. Slowly, but surely, he was making up ground in both areas. Fast forward eighteen months and Mamadi was one of the most sought-after high school prospects in the country by college basketball coaches. Once he was comfortable with the language, you could not get him to stop talking! On the court he became a student of the game, always wanting to learn more by watching film and trying new things. In the classroom he became an active part of every class discussion, forming a bond with teachers and classmates thanks to the enthusiasm and charisma he brought with him every day.
One of the big reasons for him settling on the University of Virginia as his best fit for college was that it was thirty minutes from St. George. Not having his biological family here in the States, it was important for Mamadi to have his second family, Blue Ridge School, just up the road. The ups and downs of being a college athlete requires a consistent support network so as not to allow your highs to be too high and your lows to be too low. Former coaches, teachers and teammates were regulars in the stands for home games, and it wasn’t uncommon for Mamadi to make his way back to campus to support his Barons on the playing field or just to come say hello. BRS was where Mamadi continued to spend the holidays through his time at UVA. The family environment doesn’t just occur when you are a student at Blue Ridge School, these bonds last long after you jump in the lake.
It would be hard to script a better college career than what Mamadi had at UVA. He received a BA in French Studies in December, 2019. On the court, his playing time and role increased each season with the Cavaliers. He will go down in history as hitting “The Shot” at the buzzer of regulation to send the Elite 8 game into overtime vs Purdue which then led to a win and a trip to the Final Four. That magical run ended with UVA winning the National Championship in 2019, thanks in large part to some big defensive plays by Mamadi in overtime vs Texas Tech. In his senior year, Mamadi continued his growth and output on the court. The pandemic-shortened season ended with him earning All-ACC Honors and All-ACC Defensive Honors. Even though they didn’t have a postseason in 2020, Mamadi finished at Virginia as one of the winningest players of all time and a fan favorite at the John Paul Jones Arena and all-around Charlottesville.
After UVA, Mamadi was signed by the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA, a dream come true for all basketball players striving to reach the sport’s ultimate level. During his rookie season, he played a major role on the championship-winning G-League team, the Lakeland Magic. Before and after the shortened G-League season of thirty days, Mamadi was an active member on the Buck’s roster. He played in fourteen games during the regular season with one start on May 16, 2021 against the Chicago Bulls. The magic did not end in his rookie season as the Bucks went on to win the franchise’s first NBA Championship since 1971. Mamadi appeared in seven playoff games during this run and was a trusted reserve on the team, as he learned from some of the world’s best players throughout the season.
Mamadi’s contract with the Bucks runs through the 2022-2023 season, and his goal is to continue improving on the court while earning a bigger and bigger role for the team. A big part of Mamadi’s success is due to the solid foundation he received in St. George. The inner circle of his support system continues to include some of his former coaches and teammates. One day he hopes to be able to help open the door for another young man looking to chase his dream of getting a high school education and athletic experience at Blue Ridge School. It worked out well for him!
