Michigan basketball has once again dipped into the transfer portal for a big.
Moustapha Thiam, a 7-foot-2, 250-pound sophomore center, has pledged to join the Wolverines, the Free Press confirmed Friday, April 24, with a person with knowledge of the program. Originally from Senegal, Thiam spent last season at Cincinnati after his freshman season at UCF.
ESPN's Shams Charania was the first to report Thiam's decision on Friday.
Thiam took a visit to Ann Arbor on Monday, April 20, and is the No. 3 center and the No. 12 overall player in the portal, per 247 Sports' composite rankings.
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Thiam was productive for the Bearcats last season, finishing second on the team in points (12.8) and rebounds (7.1) per game while leading the team in blocks (1.6) en route to an All-Big 12 honorable mention. He had nine double-doubles and scored 10 or more points on 21 occasions, including when he scored a career-high 28 points to go with eight boards in upset at Kansas.
As a freshman, Thiam averaged 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds over his 34 games at UCF and was named a finalist for the Kyle Macy Award (given annually to the nation's top freshman). He was the only high-major freshman to average at leasts 10 points, five rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game and finished fourth in the nation in blocks.
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Thiam hasn't exactly been a knockdown 3-point shooter, but he makes them occasionally, shooting 29% (38-for-131) over his first two collegiate seasons.
The Wolverines, of course, have helped several players improve their 3-point shot − Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara both hit the first 3-pointers of their career this past season, as did Vlad Goldin the year prior − which is an element they value, in addition to an elite rim protector.
Johnson is headed to the 2026 NBA Draft (though he is keeping his college eligibility for now) while Mara is deciding between returning to Ann Arbor and entering the draft. Mara told the Free Press he would likely keep his name in the draft as long as he was a consensus top-20 pick.
Michigan fans walk down South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.(L to R) Michigan basketball team members Roddy Gayle Jr. Trey McKenney and Yaxel Lendeborg surrounded by fans on a fire truck at South State Street during the team’s parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan basketball player Aday Mara throws a plastic basketball trying to reach the roof of the Sigma Chi fraternity house on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Some members of the Michigan band perform the Michigan fight song during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan basketball coach Dusty May waves and laughs with the crowd from the back of a firetruck from the Michigan Firehouse Museum during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan fans line up on South State Street watching during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel is all smiles as he looks to throw beads to fans on South University during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan fans line up on South State Street watching during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan fans line up on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan fans walk down South State Street following the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan fans line up on South State Street watching as the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade makes its way through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Members of the Michigan basketball team greet fans as they make the turn onto South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Students watch from the roof of a fraternity house on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan basketball players Will Tschetter, Harrison Hochberg and L.J. Cason (left to right) celebrate confetti that was popped on the back of a pickup truck during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Students watch from the roof of a fraternity house on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan basketball player Aday Mara throws a plastic basketball to fans lining the sidewalk during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Michigan fans line up on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.Some of the Michigan band performs the Michigan fight song on South University during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.1 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans walk down South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.1 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans walk down South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.2 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousands(L to R) Michigan basketball team members Roddy Gayle Jr. Trey McKenney and Yaxel Lendeborg surrounded by fans on a fire truck at South State Street during the team’s parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.3 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan basketball player Aday Mara throws a plastic basketball trying to reach the roof of the Sigma Chi fraternity house on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.4 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsSome members of the Michigan band perform the Michigan fight song during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.5 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan basketball coach Dusty May waves and laughs with the crowd from the back of a firetruck from the Michigan Firehouse Museum during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.6 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans line up on South State Street watching during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.7 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel is all smiles as he looks to throw beads to fans on South University during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.8 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans line up on South State Street watching during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.9 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans line up on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.10 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans walk down South State Street following the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.11 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans line up on South State Street watching as the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade makes its way through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.12 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMembers of the Michigan basketball team greet fans as they make the turn onto South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.13 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsStudents watch from the roof of a fraternity house on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.14 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan basketball players Will Tschetter, Harrison Hochberg and L.J. Cason (left to right) celebrate confetti that was popped on the back of a pickup truck during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.15 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsStudents watch from the roof of a fraternity house on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.16 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan basketball player Aday Mara throws a plastic basketball to fans lining the sidewalk during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.17 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsMichigan fans line up on South State Street during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.18 / 18Michigan basketball championship parade draws thousandsSome of the Michigan band performs the Michigan fight song on South University during the Michigan men's basketball team’s national championship parade through the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor on Saturday, April 11, 2026.U-M has now landed two bigs in the portal for the third consecutive season, with Thiam and J.P. Estrella (Tennessee) following Johnson and Mara last year and Goldin and Danny Wolf two seasons ago.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan basketball lands Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam in portal