Note #027: Massamba Diop (Zags New Z-Axis)
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 and Steinbach both declared for the 2026 NBA Draft 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 names come 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 - 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)
Benjamin is highlighted in Note #016 on former UConn center Eric Reibe.
Ike also says hello in Note #014 on Houston commit Corey Hadnot II.
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 - 5.5 RPG, 2.2 BPG in 18.0 MP/G (31 GP)
Reed Jr., like Ike above, also gets mentioned in Note #014.
Statistics via Sports Reference
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