Gonzaga lands Massamba Diop, beating out St. John’s for coveted big man

After a long, tense waiting period, Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs finally got their guy.

Massamba Diop, far and away the top remaining big man in the transfer portal, committed to Gonzaga on Tuesday, picking the Zags after recently completing a visit to St. John's. Diop visited Gonzaga in mid-April prior to his trip to New York, with many expecting Rick Pitino to secure a commitment from the elite rim protector.

However, Gonzaga managed to get it done, making Diop the team's second portal commitment following Houston guard Isiah Harwell.

Diop is from Rufisque, Senegal, and played for Real Madrid alongside former Zag Ismaila Diagne. Diagne, who recently committed to San Francisco, and Diop were teammates at Real Madrid, and the connection between the two played a role in Diop's decision to come to Spokane for his sophomore season.

The 7'0 big man was a revelation last year as a freshman at Arizona State, averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 29.6 minutes per game. He shot an excellent 59.4% on two pointers and a respectable 30.8% from three, while converting 71.5% of his free throw attempts as well.

Fit at Gonzaga

Diop was not only the best center available at the time of his commitment, but he is the perfect fit next to Braden Huff in Gonzaga's frontcourt.

Diop is extremely versatile, able to score around the rim and out to the perimeter, making him a difficult matchup for opposing defenses.

Jan 31, 2026; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35). | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

But it's his work on the other end of the floor that Gonzaga is ecstatic about. The Zags have not had a true rim protector since Chet Holmgren in 2021-22, when he tied the program's single-season block record with 117. Since then, Gonzaga's single-season leader in blocks is Tyon Grant-Foster, who had 38 rejections last year - mostly on the perimeter.

Diop instantly gives the Zags a true enforcer down at the rim, a significant need alongside Huff, who is a solid rebounder but does not defend the rim particularly well. Diop blocked 69 shots last year as a freshman in the notoriously tough Big 12 conference, and should immediately become the best rim protector in the new look Pac-12 in 2026-27.

What's next for Gonzaga

Gonzaga has been in a bit of a holding pattern while waiting for Diop to make his commitment, as it tied up a large chunk of their NIL funds.

Now that the big man is in the mix, the Zags can turn their attention to filling out the rest of the roster. With five roster spots remaining, Gonzaga will look for at least 1-2 more players to add to the backcourt, with three-point shooting the team's biggest area of need.

Ethan Copeland - who hit 109 threes last year at Stetson - recently held a Zoom call with Gonzaga and is thought to be the team's biggest priority as of now. The Zags also made contact with Campbell transfer Jeremiah Johnson, who shot 37.4% from deep last year, and are almost certainly pursuing the international market for high-upside additions as well.

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