AUSTIN, Texas — Lassina Traore has signed an Athletic Scholarship Agreement (ASA) to play basketball next season at The University of Texas, head coach Sean Miller announced Thursday. Traore, who spent last year at Xavier University under Miller and had previous stops at Long Beach State University and Saint Louis University, will join the Longhorns for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

 

Traore (6-10, 245), a forward from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, has played in 87 career games (67 starts) and registered 889 points (10.2 ppg) and 764 rebounds (8.8 rpg) in 2,131 minutes (24.5 mpg). He has converted 53.3-percent (345-647) over his career and has reached double figures in scoring 47 times, double digits in rebounds 37 times while posting 32 career double-doubles. Traore has one year of collegiate eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer.

 

Traore spent the 2024-25 season at Xavier under Miller. He suffered a knee injury in October and missed the entire year after undergoing successful surgery on Oct. 21.

 

During his junior year in 2023-24 at Long Beach State, Traore played in 35 games (34 starts) and led the Big West Conference in rebounding (10.3 rpg) while ranking fourth on the team in scoring (11.9 ppg) and third in minutes (30.3 mpg) and blocked shots (19). A second-team All-Big West selection, he ranked 12th in NCAA Division I in rebounding average (10.3 rpg) while helping the 49ers post a 21-15 record, win the Big West Tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament Round of 64. Traore converted 52.4-percent (154-294) from the floor and 69.7-percent (108-155) from the free throw line on the year. He reached double figures in scoring 21 times and double figures in rebounds 19 times while leading the Big West and ranking 21st nationally in double-doubles with 15. Traore registered 25 points (12-17 FG) and nine rebounds (five offensive) in 38 minutes in the Big West Tournament championship game victory over UC Davis (Mar. 16).

AUSTIN, Texas — Lassina Traore has signed an Athletic Scholarship

During his sophomore season in 2022-23 at Long Beach State, Traore started all 33 games and led the Big West Conference and ranked eighth in NCAA Division I in rebounding (10.5 rpg). He also topped the league and ranked ninth nationally in double-doubles (17), and his 17 double-doubles tied the school single-season record (TJ Robinson). Traore was one of just 14 players in NCAA Division I to average a double-double on the season, as he ranked third on the team in scoring (12.9 ppg) and blocks (20) and fourth in minutes (28.1 mpg). The Big West Newcomer of the Year, first-team All-Big West selection and second-team NABC All-District 9 choice, Traore converted 53.4-percent (171-320) from the floor and 68.3-percent (84-123) from the free throw line on the year. He reached double figures in scoring 25 times and double figures in rebounds 18 times. Traore became the first Long Beach State player since 1983 to record a 20-point/20-rebound performance, when he registered 22 points and 22 rebounds in an overtime loss at UC Davis (Mar. 4). He also tallied 20 rebounds and 16 points in an overtime win against UC Irvine (Feb. 4).

 

As a freshman in 2021-22 at Saint Louis, Traore played in 19 games and averaged 2.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per contest while helping the Billikens post a 23-12 record (12-6 Atlantic 10) and advance to the NIT First Round. He recorded a season-high 14 points (6-8 FG) in 17 minutes against Harris-Stowe (Nov. 10) and tallied a season-best nine rebounds in 17 minutes against Fordham (Jan. 15).

 

Traore played high school basketball at Victory Rock Prep (Bradenton, Fla.) for coach Loren Jackson. He also competed in his native Ivory Coast with Labase Amerique Academy.