Michigan State center Mady Sissoko enters the transfer portal
Michigan State center Mady Sissoko has entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, Rivals reported on Thursday.
A Michigan State spokesperson also confirmed the news to Spartans Illustrated. Later on Thursday afternoon, Sissoko took to Instagram to announce the news himself as well.
Sissoko spent four seasons in East Lansing and he has the option to use a fifth and final year of college eligibility during the 2024-2025 season.
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Sissoko appeared in 25 games as a freshman (2020-2021 season). He averaged 5.5 minutes per game and was 10-for-17 shooting (58.8%) on the season.
In his sophomore season during the 2021-2022 campaign, Sissoko averaged 4.5 minutes per game and played in 30 games for the Spartans. Sissoko scored 1.1 points per game in each of his first two seasons.
As a junior during the 2022-2023 season, Sissoko appeared in all 34 regular season games and started in all but one game. He averaged 21.4 minutes per game, 5.1 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game. Sissoko also led the team with 28 blocked shots that year.
In 2023-2024, the Mali native played 15.2 minutes per game in his senior season. He scored 3.3 points per game and grabbed 5.1 rebounds per game. Sissoko played in all 35 of the Spartans' games this past season. He started in 26 contests.
Overall, Sissoko played 121 games as a Spartan, and started 56 contests. He averaged 12.1 minutes, 2.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game. He shot 59.3% overall from the field, and 59.6% from the free-throw line. However, as a senior, Sissoko made 70.5% of his free-throw attempts.
Sissoko enters the transfer portal with one year of eligibility remaining due to the 2020-2021 season not counting as a year of eligibility used due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Sissoko hails from a village in Bafoulabe, Mali, in Africa. He worked on a farm as a child and arrived in the United States after being noticed by an American due to Sissoko’s size and raw talent.
Since Sissoko isn’t eligible to benefit off of his name, image and likeness (NIL) because he is an international student, he used that money to fund the building of a school in his home village. He also provided running water for his village.
For the Spartans, the center position will likely feature two returners next season in Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler (although, it is still possible one or either could enter the transfer portal). Both will be heading into their junior seasons. It is also possible that Michigan State could look to add another center through the transfer portal.
Additionally, after a promising end to his freshman season after playing sparingly for the majority of the 2023-2024 season, Xavier Booker also is expected to return at power forward and could play minutes at the five-position if needed (as he did this past season). Incoming freshman Jesse McCulloch could also factor in down low, and will likely also stretch the floor with his shooting from the power forward or center spot.
As a reminder, when a player enters the transfer portal, it does not necessarily mean that player won't return to their current school.