Michigan lands 7-foot-2 Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam

Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiamthe most effective accessible gamers left within the portal, has dedicated to Michiganhe informed ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday.

Thiam, a 7-foot-2 middle, visited coach Dusty May and the reigning nationwide champions earlier this week and had beforehand visited St. John’s, Arkansas and Kansas. Other applications additionally pursued Thiam.

The No. 11 general participant in ESPN’s transfer rankings, Thiam was a top-five participant left within the portal.

Down the stretch of his sophomore season, he started to point out consistency to go together with one of many highest ceilings of any large man available on the market. After lacking two video games in February with a foot damage, Thiam averaged 18.0 factors, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks over his last eight video games — together with a three-game stretch during which he had 28 factors and eight rebounds towards Kansas, 21 factors and 10 rebounds towards Texas Tech, and 24 factors and 15 rebounds towards Oklahoma State.

On the season, he averaged 12.8 factors, 7.1 factors and 1.6 blocks.

Thiam, a Senegal native who was a top-30 recruit within the 2024 class, began his profession with one season at UCF. In 34 video games with the Knights, he averaged 10.4 factors, 6.4 rebounds and a couple of.6 blocks.

May has now landed three large males from the portal this spring, with Thiam becoming a member of JP Star (Tennessee) and Jalen Reed (LSU). The trio will assist Michigan rebuild its frontcourt after the anticipated departures of projected first-round picks Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr..

The Wolverines additionally added five-star Brandon McCoy Jr. to their backcourt and are in pursuit of high-scoring Wake Forest transfer Juke Harriswho will even undergo the NBA draft course of.