Griffin Bryant
A basketball is left on the endline in a timeout during the Wolfpack’s home game against the Texas Longhorns in the Lenovo Center on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. The Longhorns beat the Wolfpack 63-59.
The offseason of optimism continued for NC State men’s basketball when the Wolfpack rounded out its roster with one final player — forward Musa Sagnia. With multiple years of international professional experience, Sagnia brings upside and critical depth to the Wolfpack frontcourt.
New head coach Will Wade and general manager Andrew Slater aggressively pursued international prospects this offseason, adding freshman guard Jayme Kontuniemi and recruiting others. With international basketball talent improving, adding players like Kontuniemi and Sagnia is a creative way for Wade to bolster the Pack’s talent with experienced, fundamentally sound players.
Standing at 6-foot-8, Sagnia is a hybrid between a four and a five. With rare athleticism, Wade can utilize the transfer in a variety of roles, especially defensively. Adding a player with his potential this late in the offseason is an impressive feat for Wade and Slater, giving NC State a valuable role player at a stage where very few are available.
Sagnia’s most valuable asset is his extensive professional experience, spending the last four seasons playing for the Spanish basketball team Baxi Manresa, a member of one of Europe’s top professional basketball leagues, the Liga ACB. The Gambian national averaged nearly 16 minutes per game during his time with Baxi Manresa, carving out consistent playing time at the professional level.
Sagnia won’t be a go-to scorer for the Wolfpack, but he does provide offensive value as a rebounder. At Baxi Manresa, the forward was often in motion, fighting for position in the paint as soon as shots went up. While he’s not the tallest forward out there, his relentlessness helps him consistently box out opposing players to win rebounds and score off of putbacks.
The next step to Sagnia’s evolution as a player is to improve his shooting after showing signs of potential as a shooter, sinking 0.5 3s per game. He doesn’t need to be an elite shooter, but having the ability to force defenders to respect his shot will open up the floor and create opportunities to play-make in the half-court. This past season, Sagnia shot 27.6% from deep, showing the big man already has some shooting ability.
Much of Sagnia’s value comes on the defensive end, where he causes chaos. Sagnia is a switchable player, athletic enough to guard both forwards and centers. With his impressive 6-foot-11.75 wingspan, he is always a threat to block shots, while also giving him an advantage at disrupting passing lanes. Watch for Sagnia to be a disruptive presence, forcing offenses to try to score around him.
Given the current state of the roster, it’s almost a guarantee that Sagnia will come off the bench, as senior forwards Darrion Williams and Ven-Allen Lubin are expected to start at the four and five. Sagnia’s main competition for playing time is senior center Scotti Ebube and freshman forward Zymicah Wilkins. His experience in the Liga ACB gives him a leg up over Ebube and Wilkins, making him an intriguing addition late in the offseason. The key for Sagnia getting onto the court early this season will be learning Wade’s system and building chemistry quickly with teammates.