The Texas Tech basketball program has landed a commitment from international big man Bassala Bagayoko, according to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress. He will join the team for the 2026-27 season.
Bagayoko is from Bamako, Mali, but moved to Spain when he was 12 years old. He made his professional debut during the 2020-21 season when he was just 14, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in Liga ACB, which is Spain’s top professional basketball league.
He had a solid season in 2021, playing in 22 games and averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game. He had an excellent start to the 2022 season, averaging a career-high 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds before tearing his ACL just seven games into the season.
The injury cost him most of the next two seasons, with him missing all of the 2023 season and playing in just 19 games in 2024 as he finished his recovery.
The 6-foot-10, 210-pounder was able to play in 48 games last year for Bilbao Basket. He averaged 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game. He shot 59.4% from the field and 69.1% from the free-throw line.
Bagayoko gives Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland another intriguing player to add to his rotation for the 2026-27 season. He is their eighth addition of the offseason, joining transfers Darrion Williams (NC State), Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (UNLV), Cruz Davis (Hofstra), Damarion Dennis (Wyoming), and Jamichael Stillwell (UCF) and high school signees DaKari Spear and Trey Hall.
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This article originally appeared on Red Raiders Wire: International big man commits to Texas Tech basketball
Reporting by JD McCarthy, Red Raiders Wire / Red Raiders Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By JD McCarthy, Red Raiders Wire | USA TODAY Network
