BYU basketball missed out on UConn transfer Eric Reibe. Boohoo, you can cry about it another time, because the here and now is all about action, and Kevin Young cannot afford to enter this upcoming season with an incomplete roster.
Still with four roster spots to fill, BYU basketball is left without a starting center. It's clear that the team is aiming for legitimate Big 12-level starters with NBA size and upside -- that's Kevin Young's whole M.O. -- and there's still some good news despite the Reibe whiff. The transfer portal spring has not dried out; some of the best centers in the nation are still on the market.
If there's anything my parents taught me in my youth, it's that there's plenty of fish in the sea (even fish that love ugly fish). I'm here to share that same message with BYU basketball. The hunt for a starting center is just beginning, but here are some attractive options to consider while we wait.
Best centers available in the transfer portal
1. Massamba Diop, Arizona State (#2 center, per 247)
BYU basketball is known for its older players, and Massamba Diop would fit right in in this respect. He turned 21 midway through his freshman year -- almost as if he had served a 2-year mission -- and is the second highest-rated center prospect to enter the portal.
Diop is 7'1" and was excellent for BYU's Big 12 peer Arizona State. The standout from Senegal averaged 13.6 points, 2.1 blocks and 5.8 rebounds per night for the Sun Devils and is technically capable of spacing the floor (just over 30% on one attempt per game), though he does most of his damage around the rim. He boasts a 7'4" wingspan and would be the obvious starter for BYU over Mboup.
2. Moustapha Thiam, Cincinnati (#3 center, per 247)
Thiam is 7'2" with a 7'6" wingspan, and he's absolutely deadly from distance if left wide open (40.7% on unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts last season, per 247). Also from Senegal, Thiam is huge even by NBA standards, and has steadily improved as a defensive rebounder as he's filled out his massive frame. 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game make for an excellent starting center.
He could opt to stay in the Big 12 for his junior year after already playing for UCF and Cincinnati. Perhaps another expansion Big 12 school looms on Thiam's horizon?
3. Chol Machot, Charleston (#17 center, per 247)
Yeah, 3 to 17 is a big jump, but 4 through 16 are all spoken for. Chol Machot is far from a bad option at the 5, however, especially if you enjoy watching a man fly.
Machot lives airborne. He's a constant flight risk, capable of dominating as a lob threat, and rejected a staggering 2.5 blocks in just 20 minutes of game time per night. He averaged nearly 9 points per game as a freshman, and could be ready to take a step toward a power conference home. Is he ready for a starting role at BYU? That's the biggest question.
4. Anton Bonke, Charlotte (#18 center, per 247)
Anton Bonke may have my favorite name of any player in college basketball. Another older player -- he'll turn 22 here soon -- Bonke is completely massive at 7'2", 270 lbs. He scores 10 points per night and is improving as a shooter, but Bonke serves better in a reserve role for what BYU basketball is trying to accomplish in 2026-27.
Considering Xavion Staton is rated 22nd by 247, every center beyond Bonke would be a downgrade from the 7-footer who already walked out the door -- at least on paper.
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