Recently, we talked about 7-footers that Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May should consider offering, and on Saturday night, it was reported by Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports that one of them will visit the Wolverines.
Moustapha Thiam, a 7-foot-2 sophomore, who entered the transfer portal out of Cincinnati, is expected to visit Michigan on Monday, fresh off a visit to St. John's.
Out of Senegal, Thiam would fill a major need for Michigan, at least it would fill a major need if Aday Mara decides to leave for the NBA draft, which seemed likely ever since his 26-point performance against Arizona in the Final Four.
New transfer portal could clear up status of Aday Mara moving forward
May probably has a decent idea of what Mara is doing if he's bringing in a 7-foot-2 transfer for a visit. There wouldn't really be a place for both on the roster.
Thiam started all 31 games for the Bearcats in 2025-26, averaging 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He shot 57 percent on twos and also made 15 3-pointers (28.8 percent).
The center is one of the better rim protectors in the portal and averaged 2.6 blocks per game as a freshman for UCF. He would be an ideal replacement for Mara. He is not as complete an offensive player, especially in terms of passing. He's not as productive on the offensive glass, but he would fill the need for a shot-blocker, and another low-post scorer.
Thiam makes a ton of sense based on the other frontcourt pieces, too. He could play alongside Morez Johnson or J.P. Estrella. Estrella and Johnson each have the flexibility to play the 4/5, so all three pieces would fit well together.
St. John's won't be an easy team to beat out for his commitment, especially with its NIL resources, but Dusty May's ability to get the best out of bigs should certainly help.
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