USF adds 7-foot-1 center Tiefing Diawara, boosting frontcourt size

As Chris Mack has continued restocking the USF men's basketball roster, he scoured the Transfer Portal for interior help.

He found some on Wednesday with the announcement by college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman that former Syracuse center Tiefing Diawara has committed to the Bulls. At 7-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Diawara certainly brings needed size to USF. But how much immediate help can he be in the upcoming season?

We'll get back to you on that one.

As a true freshman at 'Cuse, Diawara saw action in only four games and nine total minutes. He preserved his redshirt, so the Bulls will give him a clean start in every sense of the word. Diawara is generally considered to have a high upside, but at stage of his career his skills are raw for Division I basketball.

He is a native of Mali who played at DME Academy in Wisconsin after spending several years playing for a European club team. He played at DME after recovering from a torn ACL.

Sports Illustrated noted "Diawara does show the ability and willingness to run in transition, which is a bonus for a player of his size.  That ability to get into transition and possible better endurance may be where his history of playing soccer may translate to the hardwood as opposed to superior foot speed or advanced, delicate footwork."

247Sports National Basketball Analyst Travis Branham watched Diawara play high school and AAU ball prior to signing with Syracuse.  

"At this stage, he's still raw and coming into his own but makes for a sizey post with decent hands and touch who rebounds his area and can alter shots around the rim. Diawara has upside and has the tools to develop in time under (now-former Orange coach Adrian) Autry with value in his utility," Branham wrote.

So, this could take some time. But as they say, you can't coach size and Diawara has an abundance of that.

The Bulls still have 2-3 roster spots open.

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