Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Forward Named to National Award Watchlist Ahead of 2025-26 Season

A projected major impact piece this season.

Sophomore center Moustapha Thiam speaks during a press conference at the University of Cincinnati on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats had a player pop up on a national college basketball award watchlist this week. Transfer forward Moustapha Thiam is on the Kareem Abdul-Jabaar Award watchlist entering Monday's season opener against Western Carolina.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the list on Friday for an award annually given to the top center in college basketball.

Thiam flashed plenty of potential as a true freshman last season for UCF.

He averaged 10.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and a conference-best 2.6 blocks per game in 28.7 minutes per contest for the Knights in his debut run.

"Moustapha is an elite frontcourt player," UC head coach Wes Miller said when the team first signed him. "He's already proven that he can have a major impact in Big 12 games, and what's so exciting is that he's just scratching the surface of what he can do on a basketball court. He has an extremely rare combination of size, athleticism and skill. His versatility on both ends of the floor will be a major factor in our team's attack next season."

The Bearcats tip off the 2025-26 season at 7 p.m. ET on Monday night.

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