Boston College Men’s Basketball Signs Seven-Foot Center From Transfer Portal

Late on Wednesday night, the Boston College men’s basketball program picked up former Arkansas State center Aly Tounkara from the transfer portal.

The 7-foot, 215-pound Conakry, Guinea, native, who reportedly visited campus for the first time earlier Wednesday, announced his decision to transfer to the Heights on his personal Instagram and X accounts.

“Ready to compete at the highest level and bring the winning energy to Boston College,” Tounkara said on Instagram. “Go Eagles, let’s work.”

This past season as a sophomore, Tounkara averaged 4.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 62.9 percent from the field. He averaged 18.2 minutes per game and made 32 total appearances.

Tounkara started his collegiate career at Lindenwood University (St. Louis, Mo.), where he averaged 3.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in over 15 minutes per game in 2024-25.

A product of the NBA Academy Africa, where he earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and won the Award of Excellence in 2022, Tounkara was recruited to Lindenwood from Principia High School, which is also in St. Louis.

Although he lacks exposure beyond the mid-major level, and his minutes were relatively limited, this signing is a big one for the Eagles — figuratively and literally — as Tounkara is the first true big man that first-year head coach Luke Murray has landed from the portal this offseason.

2026 Boston College Men’s Basketball Additions: 

1. Zak Smrekar – Guard – 6’7′, 195 lbs. – Incoming Freshman – Last Program: Krka Novo Mesto (Slovenia)
2. Money Williams – Guard – 6’4″, 211 lbs. – Junior – Last Program: Montana
3. JB Frankel – Guard – 6’3″ – Junior – Last Program: Northeastern
4. Ernest Shelton – Guard – 6’5″, 180 lbs. – Junior – Last Program: Merrimack
5. Colby Duggan – Forward – 6’7″, 222 lbs. – Junior – Last Program: Charleston
6. Brandon Benjamin – Forward – 6’8″, 235 lbs. – Freshman – Last Program: Fairfield
7. Luke Hunger – Forward – 6’10”, 250 lbs. – Graduate – Last Program: George Washington
8. Jacob Furphy – Guard – 6’6″, 205 lbs. – Freshman – Last Program: UConn
9. Armoni Zeigler – Guard – 6’4″, 200 lbs. – Senior – Last Program: Ball State
10. Andrija Bukumirović – Forward – 6’7″, 200 lbs. – Junior – Last Program: UT Martin
11. Aly Tounkara – Center – 7’0″, 215 lbs. – Sophomore – Last Program: Arkansas State

2026 Boston College Men’s Basketball Transfer Portal Departures: 

1. Akbar Waheed III – Guard – 6’6″, 205 lbs. – Freshman
2. Luka Toews – Guard – 6’1″, 190 lbs. – Sophomore
3. Boden Kapke – Forward/Center – 6’11”, 255 lbs. – Junior
4. Fred Payne – Guard – 6’2, 185 lbs. – Redshirt Sophomore
5. Donald Hand Jr. – Guard – 6’5″, 210 lbs. – Redshirt Junior
6. Jayden Hastings – Forward – 6’9″, 240 lbs. – Redshirt Junior
7. Caleb Steger – Guard – 6’5″, 210 lbs. – Freshman
8. Kany Tchanda – Forward – 6’9″, 200 lbs. – Sophomore
9. Marko Radunovic – Guard/Forward – 6’6″, 205 lbs. – Freshman
10. Jason Asemota – Forward – 6’8″, 205 lbs. – Sophomore
11. Nick Petronio – Guard – 6’3″, 195 lbs. – Redshirt Freshman

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