Cincy on the Prowl
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Cincinnati Basketball: Dink Pate flashes next level playmaking and potential

By Charles Post

Cincinnati Bearcats guard David DeJulius and Mika Adams-Woods return to the court. The Enquirer.
Cincinnati Bearcats guard David DeJulius and Mika Adams-Woods return to the court. The Enquirer. /
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Dink Pate, 2024 4-star prospect from Dallas, picked up an offer from the Bearcats in June and explained his reaction in a recent interview per Cincy on the Prowl: “I was really excited after receiving the offer from coach Miller and can’t wait for him to see me play. I like the fact that they are going to the Big 12.”

The 6’7 combo guard is a dynamic playmaker with next level athleticism, range and vision. Pate is explosive attacking off the dribble, consistently creates for teammates and shoots well from beyond the arc. In my opinion, Pate has all the tools to develop into a future NBA Draft pick and should make an immediate impact as a freshman in a few years.

Cincinnati Basketball: Dink Pate flashes next level playmaking and potential

“My biggest strength is my playmaking ability. I like to get everybody involved. I’m a really good scorer and can shoot from anywhere but the one thing I do best is my passing ability,” Pate told me last month. “The game I have is very pro influenced because of the way I train and can translate at the next level as a playmaker.”

Following his sophomore season at Prolific Prep in California, the Texas native is returning to Pinkston High School next year and plays with Team Trae Young and other AAU programs. Pate recently got a chance to show off his potential at the TABC Showcase with Pinkston in late June, scoring 25.3 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in three games.

“Playing for Team Trae Young has been amazing. I love my teammates. All of them. We all go to separate schools and some of us live in different states but we are cool and play well together,” Pate said in an interview a couple weeks ago. “I’ve met Trae Young once before and hope to work with him and train in the future too.”

Heading into his junior season, the 4-star prospect has 26 scholarship offers from Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Cincinnati, Houston, Texas, UCLA and more. Pate is the 3rd highest rated recruit from Texas and the 29th ranked prospect in the country per 247 Sports Composite. He most recently received offers from Alabama and Arkansas in July and should remain a top target for the Bearcats 2024 recruiting class.