Gonzaga Added Its Top Target In The Portal, As Arizona State Transfer Massamba Diop Made His Commitment This Evening Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs landed the biggest fish in the transfer portal pond on Tuesday evening, securing a commitment from 7-foot-1 Arizona State center Massamba Diop after a tense, drawn-out recruitment that came down to the wire between the Zags and Rick Pitino's St. John's Red Storm.
Diop, widely regarded as the top remaining big man available in the spring portal cycle, chose Spokane over New York City following back-to-back official visits to both finalists earlier this month. 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, delivering a defining offseason victory for one of college basketball's most consistent programs. A Freshman Season That Lit Up The Portal The Senegalese big man burst onto the national scene during his lone season in Tempe. The 7-1 freshman averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game this season, doing it across 33 starts under Bobby Hurley. The 7-foot-1 center blocked 69 shots across 33 games (all starts) to set a new program record for blocks by a freshman in a single season, set the previous year by Jayden Quaintance.
His efficiency numbers stood out as much as his counting stats. Diop starred at Arizona State last year as a freshman, averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 59.4% on twos and 71.5% from the free throw line, an unusually polished foul-line touch for a freshman big with his frame and length. Why The Zags Won The Battle Several factors tipped the scales toward Spokane. The first was relationships. On his official visit to the Inland Northwest during the weekend of April 18 to 19, Diop spent time speaking with freshman lead guard Mario Saint-Supery and sophomore seven-foot center Ismaila Diagne, who recently transferred to the San Francisco Dons in the West Coast Conference. The Diagne connection ran particularly deep, as the two had been teammates and roommates during their time in Real Madrid's youth academy.
Gonzaga's pipeline to the international and Spanish basketball circuits also played a meaningful role. He ultimately chose Gonzaga because of its proven track record of developing big men for the next level. Additionally, the program has developed a fresh, thriving pipeline to Spain under the leadership of Director of Basketball Operations Jorge Sanz.
St. John's, for its part, threw everything it had at the recruitment. He got to have a workout inside Madison Square Garden, which is extremely rare for a recruit, and had one of the biggest NIL offers the Johnnies have ever dished out, but, in the end, none of it mattered. What Diop Brings To Spokane The fit on the floor is what should excite Zags fans the most. Gonzaga has been searching for a true rim protector for years, and Diop arrives as the most disruptive shot-blocker the program has secured in recent memory. 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.
Pairing him next to a returning Braden Huff creates one of the most intriguing frontcourts in the country. Diop becomes the second transfer addition for Gonzaga, which received a commitment from Houston guard Isiah Harwell on April 12, and immediately becomes the top candidate to start in the frontcourt alongside Braden Huff, who was having an All-American-caliber season before a knee injury ended his junior campaign in mid-January.
His ceiling extends well beyond next season. Throughout his freshman season, which he posted 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, Diop emerged as a legitimate first round selection in the 2027 NBA Draft as long as he becomes more polished around the rim and finetunes his game. His size, length, and athleticism are perfect for a modern NBA big man, and he's displayed that he's not afraid to shoot the 3-point ball. What's Next For Gonzaga Locking in Diop frees the Zags to address their remaining roster needs, with shooting at the top of the priority list. 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.
With Diop in the fold and the Pac-12 era set to begin, Mark Few has positioned Gonzaga to once again enter the season as a national title contender, and the Bulldogs just may have found the rim-protecting cornerstone they have been missing since Chet Holmgren left for the NBA.
