- Third-year junior from Dakar, Senegal, hometown of former Rutgers NBA Draft choice and Big East Defensive Player of the Year Hamady Ndiaye
- Believed to be the tallest shooting guard in collegiate men’s basketball
- Hard-worker with positive attitude who embraces the team game
- Smooth shooting guard with tremendous length who continues to add muscle to his frame
- One of two players (Mamadou Doucure) to return after playing in all 34 games last season
2018-19 (Junior):
- Starter at forward in first eight games
- Scored 11 points in win over FDU (Nov. 9)
- Posted 14 points, two blocks and two steals in win over Drexel (Nov. 11)
- Led team with 13 points against St. John's (Nov. 16)
- Scored 13 points, making four three-pointers, in win at No. 22/21 Iowa (March 2)
2017-18 (Sophomore):
- Played in all 34 games, making a team-high 33 starts, averaging 29.0 minutes, 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds
- Scored in double digits on eight occasions, including three Big Ten contests
- Scarlet Knights were 6-2 in games in which he scored in double figures
- Posted 10 points with eight rebounds in overtime win over Northwestern (Feb. 13)
- Scored 12 points with four rebounds at Penn State (Jan. 27)
- Shot 5-of-9, including 4-of-6 behind the arc, to score 16 points in victory over Iowa (Jan. 17)
- Had 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting with nine rebounds in victory over FDU (Dec. 9)
- Scored 14 points courtesy of four 3-pointers with seven rebounds in win over Cleveland State (Nov. 14)
- Registered first career double-double with career-bests of 19 points and 11 rebounds in win over CCNY (Nov. 10)
2016-17 (Freshman):
- Played in 31 games (21 starts) averaging 18.4 minutes, 3.9 points and totaling 12 steals
- Had nine points and two rebounds in the Big Ten Tournament against Northwestern (March 9)
- Shot 50% from the field, as well as 50% on 3-pointers to post eight points in a Big Ten Tournament victory over Ohio State (March 8)
- Played season-high 34 minutes in win over Illinois (March 4)
- Started season’s first 10 games as a rookie
- Posted five points and three rebounds in win at Penn State (Feb. 4)
- Had eight points in road win at Stony Brook (Dec. 10)
- Had season-best 11 points in victory over Hartford (Nov. 25)
- Tallied eight points in win over North Texas (Nov. 23) and nine points in victory over Niagara (Nov. 20)
Scholastic:
- Averaged 14 points and eight rebounds as a senior in 2015-16 at Arlington Country Day School in Jacksonville under head coach Shaun Wiseman
- Three-star prospect according to ESPN, Rivals and 247 Sports
- The No. 13-ranked recruit in Florida according to ESPN
- Previously enrolled at the Canarias Basketball Academy in Spain under director Rob Orellana, where he was a teammate of Shaquille Doorson
- Competed on the AAU circuit for the Jacksonville Warriors
Personal:
- Son of Assane Thiam and Fatou Fine Ba
- Majoring in Africana Studies
- Name is pronounced E-suh CHOM
- Father, Assane, played basketball for the Senegal national team, including the 1972 Olympics
- Speaks English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Wolof
Know Your Knights: Issa Thiam
One word to describe Coach Pikiell: Enthusiastic
Favorite Rutgers basketball player, past or present:
Best friend(s) on another collegiate team: Gaston Diedhiou (Minnesota)
Best player ever faced: Michal Cekovsky (Maryland)
Favorite professional athlete: Kevin Durant
Favorite professional sports team: Oklahoma City Thunder
The person I most admire is: My father
One word to describe myself on the court:Shooter
Few people know that I…: am focused on everything I do
I selected my jersey # because…: it was Kevin Durant’s number
Famous people I have met include…: DeSanga Diop
Rituals I have before, during or after a game are…: Pregame handshake with teammates
