Former Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam has committed to Michigan via the NCAA Transfer Portal. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
Thiam started in all 31 of his appearances for the Bearcats this past season. The 7-foot-2 standout averaged 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 27.2 minutes per game. Thiam shot 52.5% from the field and 28.8% from beyond the arc.
Thiam transferred to Cincinnati last offseason after spending his true freshman year at UCF. In his lone campaign with the Knights, Thiam made 34 appearances, all of which he started in.
He averaged 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, while shooting 49.8% from the floor and 29.1% from 3-point range. For his efforts, he was named a finalist for the Kyle Macy Award, annually given to the best freshman in the country.
Moustapha Thiam played high school basketball at DME Academy in Dakar, Senegal. He was a four-star prospect. Moreover, Thiam was the No. 60 overall player and No. 9 center in the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Rankings.
At the time of his commitment to Michigan, Thiam was the No. 13 overall player and No. 3 center in On3’s 2026 Transfer Portal Player Rankings. Thiam visited Michigan on Monday.
Michigan will undoubtedly plan on guiding Thiam to similar success as 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara, who had a breakout year for the Wolverines. Mara averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game this past season after only averaging 6.4 points per contest the previous season at UCLA.
Mara was instrumental to Michigan’s run to its first national title since 1989. If Moustapha Thiam is lucky, he’ll be able to follow in Mara’s footsteps and help the Wolverines repeat as national champions next season.
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 7 and closes on April 21. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the men’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
