Moustapha Thiam wants a nap.
It’s a Friday in mid-January and the 7-foot-2 UCF heart has simply wrapped up a mid-afternoon media interview and he’s seeking to head again dwelling for some relaxation. Greater than 12 hours later, Thiam can be on the courtroom, serving to the Knights blow previous visiting TCU, 85-58.
Life within the Massive 12 vastly differs from highschool, the place Thiam would have been this season if he had not reclassified. There, his largest concern was getting ready for a dance or the senior promenade. As an alternative, Thiam, 18, is targeted on competing in opposition to Kansas All-American Hunter Dickinson and Houston’s J’Wan Roberts.
Thiam has made a clean transition into the faculty recreation to his credit score.
“He’s rising proper in entrance of our eyes together with his ability set, bodily power and general bodily stature,” stated coach Johnny Dawkins.
Thiam began 18 of 20 video games coming into Saturday’s matchup with BYU, averaging 9.2 factors, 5.3 rebounds and a couple of.6 blocks in 25 minutes per recreation. He’s scored double digits 9 occasions, together with a season-high 18 factors in opposition to Houston on Jan. 18.
Whereas it has been an adjustment, no person understands what Thiam goes by higher than Mamadou N’Diaye. That is N’Diaye’s fourth season as an assistant coach with Dawkins. Like his younger protégé Thiam, N’Diaye is a Senegal native.
At 7-0, N’Diaye is an imposing determine standing subsequent to Thiam, however the former Auburn and NBA heart helped make the transition simpler.
N’Diaye’s fascination with basketball started after a courtroom was inbuilt his neighborhood in Dakar when he was 18.
“With out that outdoors courtroom, I most probably wouldn’t have began enjoying basketball,” he stated.
His love of the sport grew as he and his buddies stayed up late to observe Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets win back-to-back NBA Championships in 1994-95, together with movies of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
“I advised a buddy that dunking was simple, although I’d by no means completed it,” he recalled. “At evening, I secretly practiced. I used to be tall sufficient however wanted to coach my physique to leap. After a few month of follow, I used to be dunking as I wished.”
N’Diaye would earn a scholar visa and enroll at Maine Central Institute, a preparatory college in Pittsfield, earlier than attending Auburn and enjoying for then-coach Cliff Ellis (1996-2000).
He would develop into the primary Senegalese participant to get drafted into the NBA when the Denver Nuggets chosen him within the first spherical.
His sister, Silma, additionally would comply with go well with, attending Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Va., earlier than enrolling at Florida Atlantic College, the place she performed basketball for the Owls (2003-07). His different youthful sister, Fatou Kine, didn’t go to high school within the U.S., however she did play basketball in Europe and had a stint with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.
Their brother, Ibrahima, opened the Flyingstar Academy of their neighborhood in Dakar.
“In Senegal, you don’t must go to high school. You’ll be able to simply drop off [the map]. No baby companies are coming after you, telling you to go to high school,” stated N’Diaye. “It’s for the youthful era to remain off the streets, encourage them to remain at school, be taught a commerce and get into sports activities.
“Amongst that group, we attempt to discover somebody who has an opportunity to get into the U.S., similar to my sister and I, who had a chance to return to the U.S.”
The academy’s initiative is to safe excessive and preparatory college scholarships for probably the most deserving girls and boys. This initiative permits them to pursue larger schooling and excel in sports activities.
Others who’ve participated in this system had been former UCF basketball standouts Tacko Fall and Fifi Ndour, Anne Francoise Diouf (Georgia Tech), Abdoulaye Gueye (Georgia Tech) and Sidy Djitte (Clemson).
The academy is the place Thiam would ultimately be taught the ins and outs of the sport from Ibrahima N’Diaye.
“He simply let me play free. There have been no limits,” stated Thiam.
It’s additionally the place he was first launched to Mamadou N’Diaye, now an assistant coach at UCF.
“He’s the primary Senegalese participant to be drafted, and with that comes a number of credibility in his nation from individuals who know him and younger people who find themselves rising up there,” stated Dawkins. “What higher individual to try this beneath than somebody who’s already completed it out of your nation?”
Thiam would make his option to DME Academy in Daytona Seaside.
N’Diaye stated the gamers who typically have the earliest success on the courtroom are the massive males: facilities or taller forwards as a result of the place doesn’t require as a lot approach, in contrast to guards and small forwards.
“Moustapha is a fast learner,” stated N’Diaye, who coaches the Knights’ large males. “He gained weight, which is a giant adjustment. All of us Senegalese are normally skinny. After I arrived, I used to be 187 kilos. I gained 35 kilos in my first yr. Then, at Auburn, I gained 15 kilos yearly till I reached 255.”
Thiam arrived within the U.S. weighing round 170 kilos, but it surely wasn’t lengthy earlier than he started gaining weight. This previous summer season, he was as much as 235 when he enrolled at UCF.
“He had a excessive IQ understanding of the sport. It was simply the physicality,” stated N’Diaye. “He’s acquired an extended option to go, however he has made appreciable strides within the physicality, the velocity and stamina. He’s been doing a terrific job.”
“He’s a extra lively participant on either side of the basketball,” added Dawkins. “He makes extra performs. He’s concerned with extra performs due to his exercise. He’ll proceed to get stronger and alter and the best way to guard and play within the Massive 12. That may occur with expertise.”
Whereas the transition has been comparatively clean for Thiam, not having his household round him remains to be difficult.
“It was robust once I first arrived as a result of I used to be simply 16,” stated Thiam. “Now I’m 18, I’m used to it and wonderful. I’m speaking to them day by day earlier than I’m going to mattress.”
His teammates, in the meantime, have totally embraced their new large man.
After Thiam scored 16 factors and had 5 blocks in a win in opposition to TCU, Keyshawn Corridor ensured his teammate acquired the correct credit score.
“He’s probably the greatest shot blockers within the nation.”
Matt Murschel will be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
Up subsequent …
UCF vs. Cincinnati
When: 7, Wednesday, Addition Monetary Area
TV: CBS Sports activities Community