In the two seasons with former head coach Dusty May, Michigan has done an impeccable job maximizing what its big men and forwards can do. From Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf to Aday Mara all standing above 7-feet tall, May and the Wolverines’ system have figured out how to utilize and bring out their strengths.
Many of the could-have-been transfers elected to stay in Ann Arbor following the transition to new head coach Mike Boynton Jr., including center Moustapha Thiam. He is the latest 7-footer to join the program, and he told Brian Boesch on the Defend the Block podcast this week the decision for him to stick around was easy.
“I took the time to talk to my family, talk to people around me, and had a chance to meet the new head coach, coach Boynton and the staff,” Thiam said. “So I talked to coach Boynton and I trust him. The team too, a lot of people started agreeing that they’re going to stay, but I just felt comfortable, like this is my place.”
What Thiam emphasizes in his game is he is good at running the floor and shot blocking, while still finding ways to become more comfortable playing as a team and defense in general with his new team in Michigan.
One aspect of May and the coaching staff’s utilization of big men the past two seasons that has piqued Thiam’s interest is how they space the floor by becoming as versatile as possible. Thiam is looking to add more shooting and perimeter defense to his game so he can make a greater impact on offense and be able to guard anyone on defense.
And the biggest pro to being able to space the floor is the opportunity to work with proven and experienced guards like Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney.
“All you wish is to just have a backcourt that’s really good, like a talented backcourt which we have here,” Thiam said. “So I think that really helps make our job easier. You just put the ball in their hands and once you learn how to play with them and just how to move off of their moves, I think it just makes it easier for big men.”
Thiam’s path to Ann Arbor is likely the most unique out of the entire roster. He first played soccer growing up in Senegal. Then once he was a teenager, his uncle told him he should try basketball because he was already 6-foot-7 or taller.
First playing at a court by his house, the game of basketball stuck for Thiam. He played both soccer and basketball and found the lateral movement and speed from soccer really helped him get used to playing basketball. The one downside of playing basketball, though, was the lack of competitive run in Senegal.
“It was in Senegal, too, we don’t have an organization to compete, we were just playing 5-on-5, pick up,” Thiam said. “Once I started doing that for maybe three months, four months, I started loving it. And I was like, ‘Alright, it’s time for me to stop soccer. Just focus on basketball.’”
Thiam first played organized basketball at DME Academy in high school and has stuck with it. Last season with Cincinnati, he averaged 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. And even before the season technically began, he had the opportunity to play in Crisler Center during the Michigan vs Cincinnati exhibition.
Throughout the season, Thiam paid attention to Michigan somewhat, but he especially paid attention late in the season.
“At the end of the season, of course I watched some of their games because they went to the Final Four, made a deep run, and won the national championship,” Thiam said. “But yeah, when I watched them, it was just really exciting. I’m like, ‘Wow, this team is really good. The way they use their bigs is just really good.’”
The appeal of everything collectively is what kept him at Michigan. And the success and winning certainly helps Thiam as he’s in pursuit of his first NCAA Tournament appearance.
“That’s why I’m here, just ready to get to work,” Thiam said. “And that would mean a lot, because winning is just so important.”