UNC Commit Sayon Keita Helps FC Barcelona Claim NextGen EuroLeague Crown

Sayon Keita will have one more piece of hardware to bring with him to Chapel Hill. Over the weekend, the UNC commitment helped FC Barcelona’s U18 squad capture the NextGen EuroLeague championship, topping Real Madrid in Sunday’s title game in Athens, Greece.

The four-day tournament, held in conjunction with the EuroLeague Final Four, featured eight of Europe’s top under-18 club teams divided into two round-robin pools, with the winner of each group advancing to the championship game.

Across Barcelona’s four-game unbeaten run to the title, the Tar Heels’ future seven-footer averaged 9.0 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 50.0 percent from the field (13-for-26) and 76.9 percent from the free throw line (10-for-13).

In Barcelona’s tournament-opening 97-83 victory over Crvena Zvezda (Serbia), Keita tallied 14 points and 10 rebounds while showcasing his defensive versatility and 7-foot-5 wingspan, recording seven blocks and finishing plus-19. 

In the 110-80 Game 2 victory over defending champion Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania), Keita added seven points, 12 rebounds and a block while posting a plus-18 rating.

In Barcelona’s final group-stage matchup against 3Stripes Select (USA) — featuring blue-chip prospects Jalen Davis, Nasir Anderson and Blaze Johnson — Keita posted 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks during the 101-84 win.

In Sunday’s championship victory over Spanish rival Real Madrid, Keita finished with five points and seven rebounds while posting a plus-13. 

Initially a member of the 2027 recruiting class, Keita committed to Michael Malone and the Tar Heels on April 28 and is reclassifying into the 2026 class in time to suit up for North Carolina this season.

“Seven-footer with 7-5 wingspan from Bamako, Mali. Talented, mobile, fluid,” an international scout shared with Inside Carolina. 

“Needs to add to his frame and polish up some technique, but upside is through the roof. Among the top 2008-born international prospects. Was impressive at last year’s NBPA Top 100 Camp. Has a lot to work with and is by all accounts a great kid with the right approach.”

Keita is rated as a high four-star prospect in the Rivals Industry Rankings, checking in as the No. 17 overall recruit and No. 3 center in the class.

The newly turned 18-year-old moved to Spain four years ago before joining the FC Barcelona program in Liga ACB, Spain’s top professional league. This past season, Keita played a reserve role in six appearances with the club’s senior team. 

“He’s more consistent, and is now capable of doing all the things, stronger and harder than he was before. He’s a really good athlete,” Keita’s former coach, Carlos Marín, told Inside Carolina.  

“He runs the floor and jumps in a way a 7-foot player should not be able to. In European basketball, things go fast and you have to match the physicality of the other players. If you can’t match it, then you must have a high IQ and understand all that you are required to perform very quickly. He’s doing that better.”

In 14 appearances with Barcelona’s youth U22 squad this season, Keita averaged 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in league play.

Keita is poised to play a key role in a new-look UNC frontcourt next season under Malone alongside hybrid forwards Jarin Stevenson and Maxi Adams, as well as 6-foot-11 Northwestern transfer Cade Bennerman. UNC also intends to add one more starting-worthy frontcourt player to that mix this offseason.