Gonzaga in strong position for elite transfer big man Massamba Diop

Mark Few is hard at work searching for a big man to replace All-American Graham Ike, and his sights are set on a player who profiles as a perfect fit for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Massamba Diop, a 7'1 center from Senegal who played last year at Arizona State, is reportedly eyeing two schools for his next college destination: Gonzaga and St. John's.

Diop is one of the top ranked centers in the transfer portal, ranking fourth at EvanMiya behind Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Somto Cyril (Georgia), and Najai Hines (Seton Hall).

The rising sophomore is coming off a freshman season in Tempe where he averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 1.1 assists in 29.6 minutes per game. The big man shot 59.4% on two pointers, 71.5% from the free throw line, and 30.8% (8-26) from beyond the arc.

Diop scored 11 points with four rebounds and two blocks on 5-7 shooting in 30 minutes against Gonzaga back on Nov. 14, his third collegiate game.

With a massive frame at 7'1 and 230 pounds, and soft touch around the rim, Diop is an obvious fit in the high-usage center role coach Few has often deployed in Spokane.

Diop is a good scorer who does well with the ball in his hands, who is also capable of stepping out around the rim and at least keeping defenses honest with his outside shot. That makes him a great partner alongside Braden Huff, who is dominant around the rim and in the short roll, and who can step out and hit from beyond the arc as well.

However, it's Diop's defense that makes him the perfect big man for Few and the Zags to pursue. The 7'1 center is an elite rim protector, using his massive frame and long arms to alter shots in the notoriously tough Big 12 as a true freshman this past season.

Gonzaga has not had this kind of rim protection on the roster since Chet Holmgren left for the NBA after the 2021-22 season, and it has limited this team's ceiling ever since.

Diop and Huff create an incredible 1-2 punch on both sides of the basketball, with Diop's rim protecting, touch around the rim, and defensive rebounding pairing perfectly with Huff's versatile scoring and work on the offensive glass.

The Diagne Connection

Diop is from Rufisque, Senegal and moved to Madrid in 2022 to play for Real Madrid's U18 team in the 2022-23 season. He had visa issues that delayed his arrival until partway into the season, and learning the schemes and connecting with teammates was difficult for the non-Spanish speaker.

However, he connected quickly with his roommate and Real Madrid teammate - Ismaila Diagne - who was fluent in Spanish and also spoke Diop's native language of Wolof.

Diagne - who entered the transfer portal this week after two seasons at Gonzaga - was a massive help to Diop's development, and while he's not staying in Spokane to recruit Diop as teammates, it wouldn't be a surprise if he put in a good work for his old friend to come to Gonzaga to play alongside Huff, Davis Fogle, and Mario Saint-Supery in the 2026-27 season.