Michigan coach Dusty May led the Wolverines to their first national championship in 37 years when his team beat the UConn Huskies a few weeks ago. May, who was linked with several elite jobs in college basketball, signed a contract extension immediately afterward and went to work bolstering his roster for next season.
Michigan’s championship-winning roster was largely made up of transfer portal additions, and May is once again showing off his recruitment nous by putting together another stellar portal class in Ann Arbor.
Dusty May Pulls Off Huge Transfer Coup
On Friday, former Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam committed to May’s Wolverines from the transfer portal. Thiam, who had visited the St. John’s Red Storm, Kansas Jayhawks, and Arkansas Razorbacks, visited Ann Arbor earlier this week before committing to Michigan.
Thiam was the No. 11-ranked prospect in the transfer portal and was one of the five most sought-after players remaining in the portal, according to ESPN.
ESPN reporter Jeff Borzello was full of praise for the Wolverines’ portal move for Thiam on X.
“Moustapha Thiam was one of the best five players left in the portal and one of the premier big men to hit the market this spring. Massive addition for Dusty May and Michigan,” Borzello tweeted.
The talented Thiam averaged 12.8 points on 52.5% shooting from the floor and 28.8% shooting from beyond the arc, 7.1 rebounds, and 0.5 assists for the Bearcats last season before entering the transfer portal.
He started his college basketball career with the UCF Knights, where he averaged 10.4 points on 49.8% shooting from the floor and 29.1% shooting from beyond the arc, 6.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in his freshman season.
Thiam’s signing from under the noses of several national championship next contenders caught the eye of “Fight of 68” co-founder Rob Dauster, who pointed out the center’s elevated standing in the transfer portal on X.
“Thiam was arguably the best big left in the portal,” Dauster tweeted.
The Wolverines’ national championship-winning frontcourt will likely be decimated by the expected departures of center Aday Mara, who has declared for the NBA Draft but retained his eligibility, and forward Morez Johnson Jr., who did the same, making the need for reinforcements urgent.
May acted quickly by landing former LSU Tigers forward Jalen Reed and ex-Tennessee Volunteers forward J.P. Estrella from the transfer portal. In addition to the portal additions, May secured the commitment of his first five-star prospect, Brandon McCoy, who will bolster Michigan’s roster next season.
