JONESBORO, Ark. (May 8, 2025) – Arkansas State men’s basketball head coach Ryan Pannone announced Thursday the addition of transfer Aly Tounkara to the Red Wolves’ 2025-26 roster.
Tounkara, a 7-footer from Conakry, Guinea, arrives in Jonesboro after playing his freshman season at Lindenwood University. In 29 games (including six starts) for the Lions, he averaged 3.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 15 minutes per contest, shooting an efficient 60.3 percent from the floor. He also finished second on the team with 26 blocked shots.
“Aly is a 7-foot defensive presence—he’s a shot blocker, rim protector, and lob threat,” said Pannone. “We believe he can be a major defensive force for us in the paint. Coming in as a freshman from Lindenwood, he has a lot of potential, and we’re excited about his development. He missed his senior year of high school, so he’s still growing in terms of game experience. We’re confident that through player development and game reps, we can help him reach his ceiling. His foot speed, ability to run the floor, and fit in our up-tempo system as a screener, diver, and rebounder are all strengths. We’ll continue to work on his passing and decision-making in short-roll situations.”
Tounkara’s best game came on Feb. 20 at Little Rock, where he posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, along with two blocks. Earlier in the season, on Jan. 9 against Tennessee State, he recorded a career-high four blocks, adding 7 points and 7 rebounds.
Before college, Tounkara attended Principia High School in St. Louis and played at the NBA Academy Africa, where he earned the 2022 Award of Excellence and was named the Academy’s Defensive Player of the Year.
He becomes the ninth addition to Pannone’s inaugural recruiting class at Arkansas State, joining fellow transfers Jalen Hampton (Missouri State), Chandler Jackson (Florida State), Matt Hayman (Stephen F. Austin), TJ Caldwell (Ole Miss), Chudi Dioramma (Sacramento State), Christian Harmon (Gulf Coast State College), Jaxon Ellingsworth (UT Arlington), and Royal Smith (Gillion Academy).
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