Maryland men’s basketball looks to have filled its roster for next season with the acquisition of former New Mexico State center Mady Traoré, who announced that he will transfer to the Terps via Twitter Tuesday.
Traoré fills Maryland’s only remaining scholarship spot for next season, one vacated by Ian Martinez’s entrance into the transfer portal at its deadline on Thursday.
Traoré was born in France but moved to Maryland and played high school basketball at Bishop Walsh and National Christian Academy. He also played for high schools in North Carolina and South Carolina.
The 6-foot-11 center originally committed to NC State and received offers from Kansas, Illinois, and USC but played his freshman year at New Mexico State. He appeared in just seven games for the Aggies last season, averaging 1.4 points per game and 0.4 rebounds per game in a total of just 51 minutes played.
[Donta Scott will return to Maryland men’s basketball for fifth season]
The rising sophomore gives the Terps needed frontcourt depth. Maryland retained Donta Scott and Julian Reese but lost forward Patrick Emilien to graduation. Emilien averaged 17.7 minutes per game last season and played at both power forward and center in the Terps’ frontcourt rotation.
In April, Maryland acquired another potential frontcourt contributor in Indiana transfer forward Jordan Geronimo. But Traoré — who is five inches taller than Geronimo — offers another option for the Terps at center along with rising sophomore Caelum Swanton-Rodger and incoming freshman Braden Pierce.
