The Providence basketball team just lost a 7-foot recruit; how that affects the Friars' roster
Providence is down to a pair of freshmen in its recruiting class for the 2022-23 season.
Christ Essandoko decommitted from the Friars through a post to his personal Twitter account early Thursday afternoon. The three-star center from France selected Providence out of his final seven schools in October.
“With all the recent events and after a long talk with my parents and handlers, I decided to decommit and ask for the release from my NLI [national letter of intent],” Essandoko wrote in part. “I think it’s the best option for me and my future as a student-athlete.”
More: Providence College basketball's Justin Minaya, Matteus Case leaving the Friars
Essandoko is a 7-footer who pledged to Providence ahead of offers from Big East rivals Seton Hall and Georgetown, Maryland, Illinois, North Carolina State and Oral Roberts. He was a top-25 center nationally and a top-150 prospect overall, according to Rivals and 247Sports.
Essandoko took an official visit with the Friars in June and committed during the same week as four-star New Jersey point guard Jayden Pierre.
Three-Star center Christ Essandoko has de-committed from Providence, he tells ZAGSBLOG
“The relationship and communication between me, my parents and the coaching staff changed. I think it was the best choice for me as a student-athlete.”https://t.co/PRmx3BfLiq pic.twitter.com/Fby5c16yWr— Jacob Polacheck (@JacobPolacheck) April 7, 2022
At the point: PC lands top recruiting target, NJ's Jayden Pierre
Ed Croswell will return for a fifth season at Providence and was always going to be the favorite to start at center. Rafael Castro should make his debut after sitting for a redshirt year in 2021-22. They’ll replace Nate Watson and Noah Horchler, who helped lead the Friars to a 27-6 overall record and a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Essandoko also claimed offers from the likes of Texas A&M, West Virginia, Ohio State, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. Providence coach Ed Cooley visited North Carolina to watch Essandoko at an open workout in September and secured his commitment the following month. Essandoko played for Team Curry on the Under Armour grassroots circuit and enjoyed a breakout summer in 2021.
Roster rebuild: The retooling has already started at Providence College
Essandoko’s decommitment was the third piece of roster news for the Friars in less than 36 hours. Veteran wing Justin Minaya has declared for the NBA Draft and will not use his blanket COVID-19 waiver for an extra college season. Reserve guard Matteus Case has entered the NCAA transfer portal.
Providence is in the final six for South Carolina transfer Devin Carter, a top-100 shooting guard and son of NBA veteran Anthony Carter. He named conference rival Connecticut, Arkansas, Oregon, LSU and UNLV along with the Friars in a post to his personal Instagram page. Minaya was a transfer from the Gamecocks after spending four years there from 2017-21 — Providence would certainly enjoy a lightning strike from the same program just a year later.
The Friars now have four open scholarships for next season and could hold a fifth if shooting guard A.J. Reeves opts not to return for a fifth season. Pierre and fellow guard Quante Berry — Essandoko's prep teammate at Winston-Salem Christian — will enter as freshmen. Providence could shift its frontcourt recruiting focus to the Class of 2023 and are already involved with the likes of Putnam Science center Ugonna Kingsley, Worcester Academy forward T.J. Power and Pawtucket native Isaiah Miranda.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: French center decommits from Providence basketball program
