Transfer Moustapha Thiam Makes Michigan Basketball Decision Following Dusty May's Exit

Dusty May was a big reason Thiam was coming to Ann Arbor, but will he stay following May's departure?Trent Knoop|

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Dusty May found major success using the transfer portal to add two elite big men in his two seasons in Ann Arbor. In Year 1, May added his former FAU center Vlad Goldin, who formed a nasty duo with Danny Wolf on the block.

Then last season, May went out and landed 7'3" UCLA transfer Aday Mara, who was instrumental in helping Michigan win the national title. Mara parlayed that into a lottery pick.

Prior to May leaving Michigan, he went out and landed three more big men. But none as important as Cincinnati transfer Moustapha Thiam, who was the No. 12 transfer in the country, per 247Sports. But with May leaving for the NBA, it cast a cloud of doubt surrounding the transfers who committed to May.

But on Tuesday night, Thiam announced he would play for Michigan in 2026-27, giving the Wolverines' roster a major boost.

NEWS: Moustapha Thiam is staying at Michigan and will play for the Wolverines next season despite Dusty May’s departure, source tells @On3.

The 7-2 sophomore transfer from Cincinnati was one of the top centers in the portal. Averaged 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks… pic.twitter.com/kFmWWL0baD
— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) July 1, 2026

Michigan's top three players are staying put

It was major news for Michigan for a variety of reasons. First off, if Thiam left, there is nobody on the current roster who can replace him. He is a 7'2", shot-blocking machine, and Michigan would've been in trouble with the transfer portal already closed.

But with Thiam's return, Michigan has now secured its top three players for next season. Guard Trey McKenney was the first player to stay put, and then point guard Elliot Cadeau announced he would come back for another season.

McKenny and Cadeau could make the best backcourt, not only in the Big Ten, but the entire nation next season. And Cadeau enjoys running the court with a big man, and that's what Thiam brings to the table.

Thiam's impact in Ann Arbor

Moustapha Thiam played two seasons of college basketball, starting in every game he's played in. He started his career at UCF, where he played one season, before heading to Cincinnati last season.

A season ago, he averaged 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds. Two seasons ago, he led the Big 12 in blocks, and this past season, Thiam averaged 1.6 blocks per game. He has shot nearly 30% from three in each of the last two seasons, giving Michigan another tool in the toolbox.

Cincinnati Bearcats center Moustapha Thiam (52) dunks — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

"Yeah, he's a lot different," Dusty May previously said of Thiam compared to Goldin and Mara. "Obviously, he's a center and he's big and he's talented and he's skilled, but his game isn't like theirs. And so it's exciting to have another player with the talent he has that we can tweak our system to and play through a little bit. But he's got a lot of weapons and a lot of tools in his toolbox.

"He's gonna be fun to coach. But yeah, we're excited for him. But obviously, the rim protection and things like that, if you're gonna have the type of defense we have this year, you need to be able to clean some stuff up at the rim. And we think he's able to do that on the defensive end. He runs, he makes threes. I mean, as you saw here in the exhibition game, we had no answer.

"And that was before Rez and Aday, but we had no answers for him down low. So he's a guy that we think that he will be able to identify some matchup advantages for us and tackle on the perimeter and the low post and transition, whatever the case. But yeah, he's another one that we're incredibly excited to coach because he's proved that he can do it at a high level in the Big 12."

Published 1 hour ago

TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI during the 2025 football season. Trent also serves as the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI. His other bylines have appeared on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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