NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans head men's basketball coach
Mark Slessinger announced the addition of
Daniel Sackey. A 5-9 guard from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Sackey will have two years of eligibility after his three seasons with Valparaiso.
"I am very happy to be able to have Daniel join our UNO family," said Slessinger. "We recruited Daniel out of high school and thought he would have been a tremendous student-athlete and leader on our campus. He is driven in the classroom and has a very supportive family. When the opportunity arose for us to get another chance to recruit him, we felt it was a great fit. He brings great experience with his three years at Valpo, along with his prep career in Canada. He has represented the National Team in international play. Daniel's elite speed in transition and playmaking ability will be a great addition to our team. We look forward to seeing him help our program build forward."
This season, Sackey started 22 of the Crusaders' 28 games and appeared in 25, averaging 5.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and team-highs 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals. His 3.5 assists per game ranked fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) and his steals total were good for eighth. In league play, Sackey averaged 3.2 assists and 1.3 steals.
"I love the way coach Sless lets his guys play; up-tempo, fast pace and scrappy, exactly the way I play" said Sackey. "I am excited to join the Privateers and get to work."
During his three years with Valpo, he appeared in 92 games and started 65 contests. In his collegiate debut (November 6, 2018), he posted 13 points, four rebounds and three assists. He reached double figures 16 times in his career and dished out five or more assists 22 times. As a sophomore, Sackey registered a career-high 22 points at Saint Louis (November 9, 2019). He started the first 23 games of his sophomore campaign.
Prior to joining Valparaiso, Sackey prepped at Thornlea Secondary School in Thornhill, Ontario, earning first team all-star honors via the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association. He was ranked No. 16 in his class by North Pole Hoops (Canada), and represented Canada on the international level, competing with the u17 squad at the 2016 FIBA u17 World Championship in Spain, where the team went 6-1.
FUN FACT: Sackey became just the sixth Manitoban to earn a scholarship in Division I men's basketball since the NCAA reorganized into its current competitive format in 1973.
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