Starting center Michael Nwoko became the second Mississippi State player to enter the transfer portal Thursday.
After spending his freshman year at Miami, Nwoko started 32 of 34 games for the Bulldogs in 2024-25 and averaged 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He entered the portal with a “do not contact” tag, presumably meaning he already has a destination in mind.
Even though he was the starter, Nwoko played just 15.4 minutes per game, with KeShawn Murphy playing inside most of the time. Nwoko would frequently give MSU a burst of energy early in games or at the beginning of the second half, but head coach Chris Jans frequently commented that he would get tired easily and needed a minutes restriction.
Still, Nwoko had some big games for the Bulldogs, most notably an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double in a win over Pittsburgh in early December. He scored 18 points again against Central Michigan, but was in double figures just three times in Southeastern Conference play with no more than 11 points.
Nwoko is from Toronto and attended St. Thomas High School in Connecticut and The Burlington School in North Carolina, then spent his senior year at Prolific Prep, a basketball academy in Napa, California.
MSU centers Jeremy Foumena and Gai Chol can return for next season alongside Murphy. Two centers, Tee Bartlett and Jamarion Davis-Fleming, will join the Bulldogs as part of the incoming freshman class next year.
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