Apr. 9—Oklahoma State men’s basketball lost another crucial part to its front court on Sunday evening. Moussa Cisse, a 7-foot-1 center and former five-star recruit, took to his Twitter page to announce he plans to enter the transfer portal.

The move is expected to become official on Monday morning, meaning Cisse, with two years of eligibility remaining, will join now-former Cowboy forward Kalib Boone, who entered the portal on Thursday.

“After speaking with my family, I have decided to enter the transfer portal,” Cisse wrote. “I appreciate all the love and support the Cowboy fans gave me. My journey continue and God’s in control.”

Cisse spent the past two season in Stillwater after playing his freshman campaign under Penny Hardaway at Memphis. During his time in bright orange, he solidified himself as one of the top rim protectors in the country.

His first year with the Cowboys featured the native of Conakry, Guinea, being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Cisse was capable of — and on track to — contend for those honors a second-straight season until he sustained an ankle injury against West Virginia on Jan. 2.

“I stayed engaged the whole season,” Cisse told News Press ahead of the Cowboys’ meeting with Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament. “I know the season didn’t go how I planned it to be — it was up and down — but I stayed engaged.”

Still, Cisse showcases his talents upon returning, eventually averaging 6.8 points and 8.0 rebounds in 32 games.

With the departures of Cisse and Boone, and with Bernard Kouma graduating, the only player from OSU’s front court who could possibly return is Tyreek Smith.

However, Mike Boynton’s 11th-ranked recruiting class for 2023 includes four-star center Brandon Garrison out of Del City. Garrison was named a McDonald’s All-American and dropped 10 points (5 of 5 FG) four rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block in more than 20 minutes of action.

But Mike Boynton and Co. are expected to dip into the transfer portal, he told reporters during an end-ofseason availability on. And there are still a trove of big men waiting for a place to play the 2023-24 season.

“There’ll be an older big guy here. I don’t know who,” Boynton said that day. “It may be one of the guys coming back. It may be somebody we recruit out of the portal that’ll be pushing (Garrison) around from a couple of weeks in June and July.”