CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina second-year head men's basketball coach Tim Craft finalized the next season's roster with the addition of four transfers and a pair of freshmen set to join the Catamounts in 2025-26.
Graduate transfer guards Tidijiane Dioumassi (Southern), Julien Soumaoro (Gardner-Webb/East Carolina), and Justin Johnson (Arkansas State), join forward Abdulai Fanta Kabba (Denver Univ.) as the four college transfers. That quartet is joined by freshmen Tayeshaun Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) and Samuel Dada (Lagos, Nigeria) to round out the upcoming season roster.
The six newcomers to Cullowhee join nine returning players – redshirt senior forward Chase McKey, senior forward Vernon Collins, redshirt junior guard Cord Stansberry, redshirt junior forward Marcus Kell, redshirt sophomore guard Jamar Livingston, sophomore guards CJ Hyland, Fischer Brown, Drew Hollifield, and Max Williams.
Tidjiane Dioumassi – G – 6-4 – 200 – Gr. – Paris, France – Southern Univ./Lee College
Dioumassi comes to Cullowhee having spent the past two seasons at Southern University in Louisiana. He saw action in 40 games, averaging 9.3 points per game during the 2023-24 season before 9.0 points per game in limited time a season ago. Back in 2023-24, Dioumassi was a part of the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC) regular-season conference championship at Southern. The product of Paris, France, Dioumassi has been an assist machine at the guard position, totaling 209 helpers over the last two seasons, including 169 in his first year at Southern.
Dioumassi earned All-SWAC second-team during the 2023-24 postseason honors before garnering preseason first-team honors this past season. In his two years with the Jaguars, he totaled 21 double-figure scoring outputs, including a career-high 30 in last season's opener against North Dakota.
Before playing at Southern, Dioumassi spent time at Lee College in Baytown, Texas, where he played in 29 games in 2022-23 and averaged 10.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. He prepped at LGT Felix Eboue.
Julien Soumaoro – G – 5-11 – 175 – Gr. – Bronx, N.Y. – East Carolina/Gardner-Webb
Soumaoro spent last season at East Carolina after playing three years with Craft in Boiling Springs at Gardner-Webb. The Bronx, N.Y. native appeared in eight games in Greenville before receiving a medical waiver that allows him to play this season in Cullowhee.
He played in 92 games over three years at Gardner-Webb, where he totaled 768 points, 179 rebounds, and 179 assists. During his 2022-23 season in Boiling Springs, Soumaoro posted a team-best 79.2% at the free-throw line for the Runnin' Bulldogs, while also connecting on a 3-pointer in 24 of 30 games. In 2023-24, Soumaoro averaged 12.7 points per game, including 21 games in double figures with a season-high 27 against Weber State.
Before his time in Greenville and Boiling Springs, Soumaoro played a postgraduate season at Woodstock Academy in Massachusetts after starring at NYC powerhouse Cardinal Hayes. He was the second-leading scorer in the famed Catholic High School Athletic Association with an average of 21.3 points per game as a senior. Soumaoro was a first-team All-CHSAA All-League selection in 2019-2020 and earned second-team All-NYSSWA Class AA All-State honors.
He also played for the famed Riverside Hawks AAU program, the same program that has suited up some of the finest point guards in New York City, including Kenny Anderson, Mark Jackson, Kenny Smith, Pearl Washington, Rod Strickland, and others.
Justin Johnson – G – 6-8 – 200 – So. – Miami, Fla. – Arkansas State/Putnam Science Academy
Johnson joins Western Carolina after spending his lone collegiate season at Arkansas State last year, where he was part of the Red Wolves' Sun Belt Conference regular-season title. He appeared in 16 games in a reserve role, shooting 57.6% (19-of-33) with a career-high 20 points on 8-of-10 field goals against Lane College. He also tallied a career-best eight rebounds and five assists in the same matchup. He scored six in 17 minutes off the bench against Elite 8 opposition, Alabama.
Before his time in Jonesboro, Johnson was a three-star recruit out of Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, which is regarded as one of the nation's top prep programs. He was a Power 5AAA Player of the Year during the 2023-24 season as he averaged 15.6 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while leading his squad to a national prep runner-up finish. He scored 20 or more 10 times to lead the team to Power 5AAA and New England Basketball League titles, while earning first-team NEBL All-Conference honors.
Abdulai Fanta Kabba – C – 7-0 – 235 – So. – Kenema, Sierra Leone – University of Denver
Fanta Kabba comes to Cullowhee after spending the past season at the University of Denver. After missing the entire nonconference portion of the schedule, Fanta Kabba made an impact in the final 17 games with 16 starts as he averaged 4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He led the squad with 21 blocked shots and tallied 11 steals with nine assists in his on-court performance. Against Oral Roberts, Fanta Kabba tallied the game-winning dunk with 1.1 seconds left to break a 68-68 tie. He led the Summit League in block and defensive rebound percentages during his freshman season.
Before his time at Denver, Fanta Kabba averaged 10.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game during his senior season at 1 of 1 Academy. He also garnered the Victory Christian Center MVP during the 2023 season and was named to the SPAA All-Conference team during the 2022-23 campaign.
Samuel Dada – F – 6-9 – 225 – Fr. – Lagos, Nigeria – Link Academy
Dada joins the Catamounts after spending his prep career at both North Kansas City High and the Link Academy. During his 2023-24 stint at NKCHS, he averaged 11.4 points per game along with 11.2 rebounds and three assists per game. The Lagos, Nigeria native added 33 blocks and 26 steals during the 2023-24 campaign as a solid rim protector and defender.
Tayeshaun Smith – F – 6-7 – 220 – Fr. – Raleigh, N.C. – Combine Academy
Smith comes to Cullowhee after a successful prep career that included stints with the Combine Academy and 1 of 1 Academy. In 2024-25 at Combine Academy with the Blue Checks squad as part of the Overtime Elite Prep League, he averaged 10.0 points per game along with 8.0 boards, while also being a mainstay on the defensive end by ranking amongst the top five in the league in blocked shots.
Smith comes to Cullowhee from the Overtime Elite League, which is a program that has produced NBA talents like Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards and both Ausar (Detroit Pistons) and Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets).
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