In the 2009-2010 season, Adeniyi Amadou was the Syracuse Orange women's basketball director of operations. He left to pursue opportunities with Dayton and Kentucky. Now, he's coming back to the place where he earned his master's degree as a new assistant coach on Quentin Hillsman's coaching staff.
"Adeniyi is regarded as one of the premier recruiters and skill developers of post players in the country," commented Hillsman. "Adeniyi is a tireless worker and his ability to attract top-tier student-athletes is unquestioned."
Amadou, who is originally from Paris, brings a recruiting pedigree with a very specific focus.
"His recruiting reach is international," added Hillsman. "I believe his largest asset to our recruiting base will be in our recruitment of international prospects."
SU currently has two returning international players on the roster, one from Canada and one from the Netherlands.
Amadou is leaving a Kentucky program that was in turmoil. Head coach Matthew Mitchell saw all three of his assistants leave following the 2015-2016 season. Mitchel told the local paper that he parted ways with Amadou over a difference in coaching philosophy.
"That was a parting of ways because I felt like it was best for us and best for me. I can’t spend that much time trying to convince him, ‘This is how I want you to approach (coaching),’" Mitchell said before adding: "It’s not just one thing."
The other two assistants apparently both resigned after Amadou left the staff.
A lot has changed for SU women's basketball since Amadoue left in 2010. The Orange have become an NCAA Tournament mainstay and are coming off a Final Four and National Championship game appearance.
Amadou played college ball for the Army Black Knights and eventually transferred to IUP where he was the team's leading rebounder.
You can follow him on Twitter here, though it looks like he hasn't done much since the season ended.