ORLANDO – After coming reclassifying and becoming the program’s highest rated recruit, UCF men’s basketball freshman Moustapha Thiam has been named as one of 25 Kyle Macy Award finalists, one of college basketball’s awards honoring the top freshmen in the sport.
Thiam is the only freshman in Division I this season to average 10.0+ points, 5.0+ rebounds and 2.5+ blocks per game.
Thiam had a remarkable rookie campaign, smashing UCF’s freshman record for single-season blocks with 78, topping Tacko Fall’s 70 in 2015-16. He posted 17 double-digit scoring displays, including 12 in the Knights’ 20 conference games. He went nearly the entire season without a double-double, until he registered three across UCF’s six most recent contests, earning the first of his career vs. Kansas State on Feb. 26 with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Thiam’s shot block ability was on display from game one, resulting in him leading the conference in blocks per game and ranking sixth in the nation prior to UCF’s run in the Big 12 Conference Championship at 2.64 blocks per contest. The seven-foot-two rookie swatted six shots against No. 13 Texas A&M on opening night, setting the tone for a fabulous freshman campaign. He tied a UCF single-game program record with eight blocks vs. Kansas State, one of six games in which he rejected five or more shots.
Thiam is the second Knight in program history to be named as a finalist for the honor, joining Taylor Hendricks, who earned the nod in 2023. Hendricks was the previous highest ranked recruit prior to Thiam’s arrival, going on to become UCF’s first lottery and first round pick in the NBA Draft.
ABOUT THE AWARD
The Kyle Macy Award, which is presented annually to the top freshman in Division I college basketball, is named for a guard who starred as a freshman for Purdue. The 1975 Indiana "Mr. Basketball" played his freshman season at Purdue University, averaging 13.8 points per game while leading the Boilermakers in free throws (85.9 percent for the season). He started in 25 of 27 games, helping them to a 16-11 season record.
After playing his freshman year at Purdue, Macy transferred to the University of Kentucky in 1976. He started every game for the Wildcats in 1977. A three-time All-America and three-time All-SEC player, Macy was a member of Kentucky's 1978 National Championship team. In his senior year of 1979-80, he became the first Kentucky player ever to be named consensus Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.
The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, Texas, the site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.
2024-25 KYLE MACY AWARD FINALISTS
Ace Bailey, Rutgers
V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor
Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma
Cooper Flagg, Duke
Boogie Fland, Arkansas
Magoon Gwath, San Diego State
Blake Harper, Howard
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Ian Jackson, North Carolina
Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Tre Johnson, Texas
Kon Knueppel, Duke
Liam McNeeley, Connecticut
Asa Newell, Georgia
Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
Labaron Philon, Alabama
Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State
Derik Queen, Maryland
Jase Richardson, Michigan State
Will Riley, Illinois
Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
Moustapha Thiam, UCF
Jeremiah Wilkinson, California
Adrian Wooley, Kennesaw State
Robert Wright, Baylor