The UCF Knights had a commitment of their center of the future in October, but the future will begin a year earlier than initially thought. Consensus top-40 2025 recruit Moustapha Thiam will enroll in classes at UCF next week and participate in summer workouts with the Knights, thus beginning his collegiate career.
UCF Gets Surprising Commitment From Elite Prospect For 2024 After His Re-Classification
Thiam is the highest-rated player to sign with UCF, per 247Sports, and only the Knights’ fourth-ever four-star recruit. The 7-2 center, 205-pounder from Dakar, Senegal, who played high school ball at Daytona Beach DME Academy, was rated as the 30th-best prospect in the class of 2025 by On3. 247Sports had him at No. 39 in 2025, Rivals listed at No. 30, and 28th by ESPN.
Thiam averaged 14.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.1 blocks, and 2.3 assists per contest while helping DME to a 25-11 record this past high school season. He also had a strong spring AAU session playing for Austin Rivers Southeast Elite club on the Addidas 3SBB series, earning Defensive MVP honors.
Thiam was also one of the standouts at NBA’s Basketball Without Borders at this year’s all-star weekend. He held Cal Poly and Oklahoma State offers before committing to UCF in October.
Here is a scouting report on Thiam from On3:
“Moustapha Thiam has legit size with excellent length. The thing that makes him such an intriguing prospect is his quick-twitch mobility. As a true center he is capable of opening his hips, sliding laterally, and recovering on switches. He will need to continue adding strength, which will be interesting as he has a thin base and narrow shoulders. He is a true rim protector, able to affect the play on the ball or from the weak side. He has touch and can knock down a pick and pop jumper with his feet set. Will need to continue polishing the release and balance but that is something potentially in the arsenal. Thiam has good hands on passes thrown at chest level and above.”
Taylor Hendricks (2022), Michael Chandler (2011), and Darius Johnson (2021), who is still a major contributor for the Knights.
Thiam’s Impact On UCF
UCF is coming off a 17-16 season, including 7-11 in their first Big 12 season. It is the Knights third straight winning season and their seventh in the past eight years. However, the Knights have only made one tournament appearance in these eight seasons under Johnny Dawkins.
UCF returns its top two players from a year ago, Jaylin Sellers and Johnson, though Dawkins had to revamp its depth due to departures via transfers and graduation. Dawkins has officially brought in five transfers after adding Georgia Tech transfer Dallan “Deebo” Coleman earlier today.
“We’re excited to add Deebo to our team,” Dawkins said. “He’s a natural scorer and has the ability to knock down shots from everywhere on the floor. We’re looking forward to him contributing on both sides of the ball.”
Keyshawn Hall, Rokus Jocius, JJ Taylor, and Benny Williams are the Knights’ other transfers. Meanwhile, Dawkins also added incoming freshman Cameron Simpson in addition to Thiam. UTSA transfer Jordan Ivy-Curry has committed to the Knights but hasn’t officially been added while Memphis transfer Mikey Williams committed to Dawkins in January.
Thiam is expected to compete with Jocius for the starting center job. Regardless of whether Thiam wins the starting job, he should be a major contributor, with Taylor and Benny Williams being the Knights’ only other frontcourt players.
