Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

6-foot-11 College Basketball Recruit Makes Final Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated May 26, 2025 4:46 PM ET

A season of growing pains for Syracuse Orange men’s basketball ended with a 14-19 overall record (7-13 in ACC play) under second-year head coach Adrian Autry.

It marked the program’s lowest winning percentage since 1969 and fueled a significant roster overhaul this offseason.

With only 26% of last year’s minutes returning, including backcourt standouts J.J. Starling and Donnie Freeman, the Orange have leaned heavily on transfers and incoming freshmen to reshape the roster ahead of 2025-26.

Amid that transformation, 247Sports national analyst Travis Branham reported on X Monday that three-star big man Tiefing Diawara has committed to Syracuse for the 2025-26 season.

Three-star big man Tiefing Diawara has committed to Syracuse, sources tell @247Sports.

Story: https://t.co/hYuwrgx17y pic.twitter.com/weOmU9alwD
— Travis Branham (@TravisBranham_) May 26, 2025

Diawara stands 6-foot-11, weighs 240 pounds, and carries a 7-foot-3 wingspan, according to 247Sports.

A native of Mali, Diawara spent his early years with Orange1 Basket Bassano in Italy before enrolling at DME Academy (St. John’s Northwestern) in Delafield, Wisconsin, for his prep season.

Competing in this year's Nike’s EYBL circuit for Team Herro, Diawara averaged 4.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, shooting 45.7% from the field and 81.8% from the free-throw line.

Beyond Syracuse, the Baylor Bears and Kansas State Wildcats were among the other high-major programs that pursued his commitment.

Syracuse has already added four high-school recruits, highlighted by four-star guards Kiyan Anthony and Luke Fennell, and six college transfers, including Cincinnati forward Tyler Betsey and Georgia Tech big man Ibrahim Souare.

Yet depth at the center position remained a pressing concern, a need that has now been met with the addition of Diawara.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: