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Rutgers sophomore wing Malick Kone to transfer

Malick Kone, Fuquan Edwin

Rutgers’ Malick Kone, of Guinea (13) grabs for the ball with Seton Hall’s Fuquan Edwin (23) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

AP

With two junior college wings in Rutgers’ incoming recruiting class, playing time was likely to be an issue for 6-6 sophomore guard/forward Malick Kone next season.

On Friday morning it was reported that Kone, who averaged 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per game this season, has decided to transfer. The news was first reported by Alex Kline of The Recruit Scoop.

Kone played in 28 of Rutgers’ 31 games in 2012-13, averaging 10.4 minutes per game and shooting 40.9% from the field.

Even with the graduation of Dane Miller minutes were going to be tough to come by, as both Chris Griffin (Wabash Valley College) and Craig Brown (Broward JC) are expected to have an impact in 2013-14.

Rutgers will also add point guard Shane Rector to the program, and if the one-time St. Raymond’s HS (Bronx, N.Y.) product can contribute at the point immediately that would ultimately lead to Eli Carter and Myles Mack seeing even more time off the ball.

How would that affect a player like Kone? If Coach Rice can go small at times with those three (junior Jerome Seagears would also factor into the equation) that would cut into the minutes available to the wings.

Kone, who attended St. George (Va.) Blue Ridge HS after moving to the United State from the west African nation of Guinea, also received interest from schools such as East Carolina, Jacksonville, Marshall, Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech before committing to Rutgers.

Raphielle also writes for the NBE Basketball Report and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.