> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Five Frontcourt Players Gonzaga Could Target in Transfer Portal
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/five-frontcourt-players-gonzaga-bulldogs-transfer-portal-2026/
- Published: 2026-04-17T18:14:10.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T05:53:12.000Z
- Author: Corbin Smith
- Tags: Analysis, Recruiting, Gonzaga Men's Basketball, Massamba Diop, Moustapha Thiam, Anton Bonke, Baba Miller, Allen Graves

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3000"\]

![  Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) battles for position with Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) on Nov. 14, 2025, at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images  ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/r-massamba-diop--2835-29-battles-for-position-with-gonzaga-bulldogs-forward-graham-ike--2815-29-on-nov--14-2c-2025-2c-at-desert-financial-arena-in-tempe--credit-3a-rob-schumacher-2fthe-republic--2f-usa-today-network-via-imagn-images-format-original.jpg)

Arizona State Sun Devils center Massamba Diop (35) battles for position with Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) on Nov. 14, 2025, at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe. Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images \[/caption\]

Presumably, the players who will fill four of the five starting spots for the Gonzaga Bulldogs next season are either already on the roster or are on their way to Spokane. In the backcourt, Mario Saint-Supéry and Davis Fogle lead the charge as high-ceiling offensive talents looking to build off of promising freshman campaigns. And in the frontcourt, Braden Huff will return for his final season at the college level, after having an uber-efficient season shortened due to a dislocated knee.

But third-team All-American forward Graham Ike is out of eligibility, and reserve center Ismaila Diagne became one of six Zags to enter the transfer portal. Traditionally, the Zags prefer to play with two post players in the frontcourt, making the potential final piece to their starting lineup and a new running mate with Huff a crucial decision for next season.

Who are some players with chances of being the next Bulldog big?

**Massamba Diop, Freshman, Arizona State**

The man with the most buzz at the moment, Diop is coming off a strong freshman season with the Sun Devils. Scheduled to visit Spokane this weekend, the 7-1 center entered the transfer portal on April 8 as Arizona State undergoes a coaching change with Randy Bennett – former longtime head coach of Saint Mary’s – taking over at the helm. Diop made the decision with a “do not contact” tag, as Travis Branham of 247Sports.com reported the center had his sights set on either Gonzaga or St. John’s, which Diop is also slated to visit at an unknown date, likely sometime next week.

Like Diagne, Diop is a native of Senegal, and the two played with each other at the Real Madrid youth academy. GU also had to gameplan for Diop this past season, as the young center scored 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting with four rebounds, two blocks, and two steals when the Zags downed ASU 77-65 on Nov. 14\. Overall, Diop averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while shooting nearly 57% from the field, highlighted by an eye-popping 81 FG% on close-range attempts. He shot a less than remarkable 30.8% from beyond the arc on 28 attempts, but Diop clearly showed a willingness to at least pull the trigger from deep.

If Gonzaga is able to land the talented 21-year-old, he could immediately be one of the program’s better rim protectors in recent memory, while also oozing potential offensively with his work around the rim and in the pick-and-roll. And with at least three years of eligibility remaining, Diop would align perfectly with the sudden youth movement the Bulldogs are experiencing after having one of the oldest rosters in the country this past year.

**Moustapha Thiam, Sophomore, Cincinnati**

Another native of Senegal, Thiam is coming off a strong second season with the Bearcats after transferring from UCF. His per-game numbers elevated to 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, and he was named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention as well.

With a height of 7-2, Thiam is another long frontcourt option that could strengthen the backbone of the Bulldogs’ defense as a rim protector. His 90-inch wingspan also contributes to his seemingly natural prowess with his back to the basket. He shot 52.5% from the floor and 28.8% on 52 tries from distance, opening the door to be more of a threat offensively with increased development.

Although he has the instincts and tools to be a high-potential offensive player, primarily inside and in the pick-and-roll, the sophomore center could fill out his frame even more. Thiam is on the skinnier side, making him not as much of a stalwart on the boards while also being outmuscled in the post more frequently.

**Anton Bonke, Junior, Charlotte**

A massive presence listed at 7-2 and 260 pounds, Bonke was a force to be reckoned with at Charlotte last season. He averaged 10.6 points and 8.3 rebounds a contest, with over three of those boards coming on the offensive glass.

The center didn’t start playing basketball until age 16, which was after he graduated high school in Vanuatu, Oceania. Now the soon-to-be 22-year-old Bonke has produced at the college level, earning the opportunity to test the NBA Draft waters while he is in the transfer process. He is making his rounds visiting schools in the portal, with Gonzaga being one of the reported schools Bonke is interested in.

Shooting 57.6% on field goal attempts and 34.2% from beyond the arc, Bonke has all the makings of a professional center, complementing his size by being a threat from the three-point line. And like most of the others on this list, Bonke was no slouch defensively either, averaging 1.5 blocks for the 49ers last season. His strength and physicality on the interior could be a fantastic juxtaposition to Huff’s finesse in the Zags’ frontcourt.

**Baba Miller, Senior, Cincinnati**

A teammate of Thiam and member of the 2025-26 All-Big 12 Second and Newcomer Teams, Miller stood out for the Bearcats by averaging a double-double (13.0 points, 10.3 rebounds) across 31 starts. Dishing out 3.7 assists as well, Miller joined Duke forward and AP College Basketball Player of the Year Cameron Boozer and former Zag, Michael Ajayi of Butler, as the only players in the nation to average 13, 10, and three. Together, he and Thiam were the Bearcats’ top scoring leaders and formed one of the more dynamic frontcourts in the country.

The Spanish forward will need an extra year of eligibility after also spending three seasons in the Sunshine State (two with Florida State, one with Florida Atlantic). When he originally came to the US back in 2022, Miller picked the Seminoles over GU as one of the top international prospects. Standing at 6-11, Miller thrives on looks around the rim (71.3 FG% on those shots) while also showcasing an above-average ability to facilitate when necessary. With strong length and agility as well, Miller is portable defensively, capable of switching and guarding multiple positions in addition to being an admirable deterrent down low (1.2 blocks per game).

Stretching the floor isn’t a strong suit whatsoever for Miller, who knocked down just 19.2% on threes and less than 66% from the charity stripe, which could be a turn-off for a Gonzaga program in need of shooting aid. But in addition to Huff being in his final season, the experience he and Miller could bring, plus their production, could be vital for a now young Zags squad.

**Allen Graves, Redshirt Freshman, Santa Clara**

This option – which Zags fans will be most familiar with – is both the most exciting while simultaneously the least likely. Graves entered his name into both the transfer portal and the NBA Draft, as the 6-9 forward starred in his first, and potentially only, season at the collegiate level.

Graves burst onto the scene for the Broncos after redshirting for a season, taking home WCC Freshman and Sixth Man of the Year by averaging 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 steals a game. Starting just four of Santa Clara’s 35 contests, Graves made the most of his 22.6 minutes a night in a year the Broncos snapped a 30-year NCAA tournament drought. The Ponchatoula, LA native shot 51.2% from the field and 41.3% from deep on 92 attempts, which would be a big add for Gonzaga due to Huff’s gun-shy nature at the three-point line.

He entered the portal with a “do not contact” tag but if he doesn’t fully commit to the draft process, he immediately becomes one of the top transferring players available. Graves is extremely skilled, a scorer at all three levels, with connective abilities on both ends. While being versatile, Graves logged the third-highest box plus-minus for players aged 20 years old or younger, maintaining strong efficiency in all areas while minimizing his mistakes on the floor. Slotting him in the Bulldogs’ starting lineup would push Braden Huff to play more of the five, which might not be ideal, but the offensive ceiling for that lineup would be hard to beat.