New Mexico State Lands Notre Dame Big
Notre Dame Prep has a big surprise on their roster…and we do mean big.
Raphael Giaimo, a six-foot-ten two-hundred-and-seventy-pound center, was a late addition to the Notre Dame roster this fall.
A native of Marseille, France, Giaimo didn’t arrive in American until after the fall evaluation period had taken place. He has also yet to log very many game minutes as Notre Dame Prep head coach Ryan Hurd is intent to bring him along slowly. But with his incredible size there is little doubt that Giaimo will play a role before Notre Dame’s season comes to a close.
“He is a mountain of a man,” said Hurd. “We are easing him into the line-up but feel confident that he will be a factor for us moving forward.”
While Giaimo is still a raw talent in many regards, he has undeniable tools that give him great potential at the next level when suiting up for New Mexico State.
In addition to his tremendous size, Giaimo also boasts a soft touch around the rim, an appetite for physical play inside the paint, and the work ethic to maximize his potential.
“He is a tremendous kid with an off-the-chart work ethic,” Hurd said. “He wakes up daily at 6a.m. for a lift and sneaks three workouts into his day on top of practice and a five course schedule.”
With his best basketball definitely still ahead of him, Giaimo projects to be a potentially important addition for New Mexico State.
With legitimate big men being harder and harder to find in college basketball, Giaimo will offer the Aggies an interior presence that few teams in the country will be able to match. As physically aggressive as he is big and powerful, Giaimo should eventually be able to anchor the team defensively while simultaneously being able to offer a low post scoring threat.
Raphael Giaimo