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# Note #027: Massamba Diop (Zags New Z-Axis)
- URL: https://www.lemmonlabs.io/note-027-massamba-diop-zags-new-z-axis/
- Published: 2026-04-29T00:52:41.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-24T01:40:38.000Z
- Author: Lemmon Labs
- Tags: Transfer Portal, Massamba Diop, Notes, Big 12, Cameron Boozer, Hannes Steinbach, #Big 12, Bruce Thornton, #Arizona State, #Cameron Boozer, #Hannes Steinbach, #Amon Dörries, #Brandon Benjamin, #Shelton Henderson, #Deandre Ayton, #Kevin Love, #Camren Hunter, #Bruce Thornton, #Graham Ike, #Dailyn Swain, #Nolan Minessale, #Zuby Ejiofor, #Tarris Reed, Jr., #Najai Hines

Former Arizona State center **Massamba Diop** entered the transfer portal following his 2025-26 **freshman** season with the Sun Devils, committing to **Gonzaga** for 2026-27.

Let's look at the **7'1"** Diop's **2025-26 shooting** splits:

- 161/271 2P/2PA **(59.4 2P%)**
- 8/26 3P/3PA **(30.8 3P%)**
- 103/144 FT/FTA **(71.5 FT%)**

The other **two** NCAA Division I **freshmen** in **2025-26** to shoot **59+** 2P% (min. 270 2PA), **30+** 3P% (min. 25 3PA), and **70+** FT% (min. 140 FTA) were:  
  
1\. Cameron Boozer - **236/384 2P/2PA** **(61.5%),** **54/138 3P/3PA (39.1%)**, **221/280 FT/FTA (78.9%)**  
2\. Hannes Steinbach - 191/309 2P/2PA **(61.8%)**, 18/53 3P/3PA (34.0%), 120/158 FT/FTA **(75.9%)**  
  
To note before moving on, **Boozer** (3rd overall)and **Steinbach** (14th) both were **2026 NBA Draft** lottery picks after their freshman seasons.

Now, if we drop the **FT** numbers entirely, only **one** other **freshmen** in **2025-26**  
shot at least **59%** from **2** (min. 270 2PA) and **30%** from **3** (min. 25 3PA):  
  
**Amon Dörries** \- 173/288 2P/2PA (60.1%), 28/84 3P/3PA (33.3%)  
  
If we just look at overall FG%, **four freshmen** in **2025-26** shot **56.5+%** from the floor on **295+** FGA, including **Diop** and **Steinbach**. The other **two**:  
  
1. **Shelton Henderson** \- 190/335 FG/FGA (56.7%)  
2. **Brandon Benjamin** \- 190/336 FG/FGA (56.5%)  
  
Let's revisit the original **2P/3P/FT** baselines from above that only **Diop**, **Boozer** and **Steinbach** hit: if we look at all **freshmen** since **1980-81** (when 3s were introduced) to reach those thresholds, only **two** additional namescome up!  
  
1\. Deandre Ayton (2017-18) - **264/416 2P/2PA (63.5%)**, 12/35 3P/3PA (34.3%), 140/191 FT/FTA (73.3%)  
2\. Kevin Love (2007-08) - 198/324 2P/2PA (61.1%), **29/82 3P/3PA** (35.4%), **198/258 FT/FTA** (76.7%)  
  
That's right: in the last **45+** years, of the only **five** instances a **freshmen** met those shooting splits, **three** of them occurred in **2025-26**.

FWIW, there were **six** **non-freshmen** in 2025-26 who met the above criteria:  
  
**Seniors**  
1\. Camren Hunter - 182/305 2P/2PA (59.7%), **75/203 3P/3PA** (36.9%), 125/157 FT/FTA (79.6%)  
2\. Bruce Thornton - 175/273 2P/2PA **(64.1%)**, **62/155 3P/3PA** **(40.0%)**, 141/170 FT/FTA **(82.9%)**  
3\. Graham Ike - **213/350 2P/2PA** (60.9%), 24/71 3P/3PA (33.8%), 118/148 FT/FTA (79.7%)  
  
**Juniors**  
4\. Dailyn Swain - 182/302 2P/2PA (60.3%), 32/93 3P/3PA (34.4%), **163/200 FT/FTA (81.5%)** 
  
**Sophomores**  
5\. [Nolan Minessale](https://www.lemmonlabs.io/note-026-nolan-minessale-marquette-made/) \- 184/307 2P/2PA (59.9%), 44/144 3P/3PA (30.6%), **174/232 FT/FTA** (75.0%)  
6\. Morez Johnson Jr. - 183/278 2P/2PA **(65.8%)**, 12/35 3P/3PA (34.3%), 122/156 FT/FTA (78.2%)  
  
*Again and again... (*[*Cameron Boozer references*](https://www.lemmonlabs.io/tag/cameron-boozer/)*)*

**Benjamin* is highlighted in* [*Note #016*](https://www.lemmonlabs.io/note-016-eric-reibe-freshman-donovan-clingan-connection-ii/) *on former UConn center Eric Reibe.* 
  
**Ike* also says hello in* [*Note #014*](https://www.lemmonlabs.io/note-014-corey-hadnot-ii-guard-efficiency-glitch/) *on Houston commit Corey Hadnot II.*

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🏀

Let's look at some of Diop's ****per game** numbers in ****2025-26** next:  
  
****13.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.1 BPG** in 29.6 MP/G (33 GP)  
  
Only ****two** other NCAA Division I men's players in ****2025-26** averaged at least 13.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2 BPG (min. 30 GP) - and they were **both** Big East ****seniors**:  
  
1\. Zuby Ejiofor - ****16.3 PPG**, 7.3 RPG, 2.1 BPG in 30.0 MP/G (37 GP)  
2\. Tarris Reed Jr. - 14.7 PPG, ****9.0 RPG**, 2.0 BPG in 27.3 MP/G (35 GP)  
  
FWIW, All ****three** also averaged ****1+ APG**:   
Ejiofor - ****3.5**  
Reed Jr. - 2.3  
Diop - 1.1  
  
Let's strip away ****PPG** entirely: only ****one** other ****freshmen** in ****2025-26**, besides ****Diop**, averaged 5.5+ RPG and 2.0+ BPG on the season:  
  
[****Najai Hines**](https://www.lemmonlabs.io/note-009-najai-hines-freshman-statistical-analysis/) \- 5.5 RPG, 2.2 BPG in ****18.0 MP/G** (31 GP)  
  
***Reed Jr.** *, like Ike above, also gets mentioned in* [**Note #014*](https://www.lemmonlabs.io/note-014-corey-hadnot-ii-guard-efficiency-glitch/)**.*

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Statistics via [Sports Reference](https://www.sports-reference.com/?ref=lemmonlabs.io)

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