May 10, 2016
@TheRunninRebels
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's basketball program has received two more signed national letters of intent, head coach Marvin Menzies announced Tuesday. Ben Coupet (pronounced: coo-PAY) and Cheickna Dembele (pronounced: SHAKE-nuh dem-BEE-lee), who will both be freshmen during the upcoming 2016-17 season, are the latest additions to the Runnin' Rebel roster.
"I would like to welcome Ben and Cheikna to the Runnin' Rebel family," Menzies said. "These two young men are terrific additions to the team for multiple reasons. To be able to get guys with their talent this late in the recruiting calendar, we are very fortunate. In addition to their basketball prowess, we are very excited about who they are as young men. They both are extremely academic conscientious and very aware of what my expectations are for them to be Runnin' Rebels."
Coupet is a 6-foot-7-inch forward from Chicago. He attends Simeon Career Academy, which is one of the country's most well-known high school programs. Simeon has produced two top-two overall NBA Draft picks in the last eight years (Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker).
Coupet is a three-star prospect according to Rivals and 247 Sports, while ESPN has him as the No. 39 small forward in the class of 2016 and the No. 10 player in the state of Illinois.
"Ben's upside is off the charts." Menzies said. "He is already capable of scoring the ball at this level at a very high rate and will get better daily based on his attitude and love for the game. As we develop all facets of his game, he will play a major role hopefully sooner rather than later."
A long, athletic wing, Coupet is also known as a standout defensive player. He averaged 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game as a senior. He scored 24 points with seven rebounds in a Public League playoff game against Morgan Park. He also played for Dream Vision and Mac Irvin Fire, both AAU teams.
"I think Ben is a great get for UNLV," said Clayton Williams, founder and coach of Dream Vision. "His best basketball is ahead of him. He was a big-time prospect coming into high school, but fell off a little because of the physicality of the game. He is a classic late bloomer and will be a better college player than a high school player. His natural talent and ability is out of this world and the sky is the limit for him. He is a likeable kid and a great teammate. The guys all love and respect him."
Dembele is a 6-foot-11-inch, 220-pound center from Mali, Africa. He played last season at Scotland Performance Institute in Chambersburg, Pa., after moving to the United States in 2015.
"Cheikna has only been in the U.S. for a short time, but is a sponge when it comes to picking up the game," Menzies said. "Physically, he is ready to step on the floor right now and help us defensively. He will have to give us quality minutes early in his career the way the roster is shaking out and I am confident he will be able to do that. What impresses me most about Cheikna is his self-motivation to excel on and off the court."
Dembele was his team's best free-throw shooter at 78 percent, and averaged 16 points and more than four blocks per game as a senior. He can shoot from the outside and also is a strong rebounder.
"Cheikna is a high-energy player and will be a high-volume rebounder as a freshman," said Isiah Anderson, SPI's founder. "He is also going to be a defensive stopper. One of the unique things about him is that he plays for his village and his community, not just for himself. A lot of people have sacrificed for him to have this opportunity and there isn't a kid who will work harder. I know that is cliche, but he truly has high character and is a really hard worker. He is extremely athletic for a kid with his size, is a dunker, and is just a tough player. We see a lot of African kids, but we don't usually see kids from Mali who are as new to the game as he is, but also has the skill level that he does."
"Both of these young men have an extremely high passion to get better and that work ethic will contribute to their early success and development while wearing the Scarlet & Gray," Menzies added.
Coupet and Dembele join Kris Clyburn, a 6-foot-6-inch guard from Ranger (Texas) College, as incoming Runnin' Rebel student-athletes that have signed with the program.
