For the third time this offseason, Michigan coach Dusty May and the Wolverines have dipped into the transfer portal. This time, they made a massive addition by landing one of the top centers.
After taking a visit to Ann Arbor earlier this week, Cincinnati big man Moustapha Thiam shared news of his commitment to Michigan on his Instagram account on Friday.
The 7-foot-2, 250-pounder started all 31 games as a sophomore for the Bearcats this past season. He averaged 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots in 27.2 minutes per game and shot 52.5% from the field to earn an All-Big 12 honorable mention nod.
Thiam posted nine double-doubles, scored in double figures 21 times and had four outings with 20-plus points, highlighted by a 28-point outburst at Kansas, a 24-point, 15-rebound game against Oklahoma State and a 21-point, 10-rebound performance at Texas Tech.
On the other end, his length and rim protection played a big role in Cincinnati finishing No. 10 in the nation in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency. He led the Bearcats with 50 blocked shots as the team’s defensive anchor.
This will be Thiam’s third school in three years. The Senegal native started his college career at UCF, where he averaged 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a full-time starter. He was the only freshman in the Power Five that season to average at least 10 points, five rebounds and 2.5 blocks.
Offensively, he has upside and room to grow. While he can make jump shots and stretch the floor, he’s not the most proficient perimeter shooter, making just 29% of his 131 3-point attempts. He’s also a 64.7% career free-throw shooter.
Still, Thiam’s defensive impact is real. He ranked fifth in the nation and led the Big 12 with 88 blocked shots two seasons ago. That mark set a UCF freshman record and ranks second in program history.
He’s widely viewed as a top-15 player in the portal by national outlets, including CBS Sports (No. 11), ESPN (No. 11), 247Sports (No. 13), The Athletic (No. 13) and On3 (No. 14), and rated among the top three centers.
Thiam, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, is the third portal addition Michigan has made, joining Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella and LSU forward Jalen Reed.
jhawkins@detroitnews.com
@jamesbhawkins
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Moustapha Thiam, Cincinnati center, commits to Michigan basketball
Reporting by James Hawkins, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
