WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State head men's basketball coach Paul Mills bolstered his frontcourt with the addition of Cyr Malonga out of the transfer portal.

Malonga is a 6-foot-11 center out of Pointe-Noire, Congo. He comes to Wichita State after one season at New Mexico State (2025-26) and two seasons at East Carolina (2023-25).

"We're thrilled to welcome Cyr, a seasoned and impactful player who will significantly bolster our front line," Mills said. "His experience, particularly his time competing at East Carolina in the American Conference, has prepared him well for the grind of this league. He has established himself as an elite finisher at the rim and has converted in traffic and transition at a high rate. His presence defensively, being disruptive in pick and roll and shot altering capabilities really stood out in the film. Cyr is a two-way player who will make a difference for us in the 2026-27 season, and we are excited he is a part of Shocker Nation."

As a junior with New Mexico State, Malonga appeared in 24 games, making 16 starts. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.5 rebounds on 67.3 percent shooting from the field. He had three games with 10 or more points, including a career-high 16 in the season opener. Over two seasons with the Pirates, Malonga played in 46 games with 18 starts. He scored a total of 82 points and grabbed 83 rebounds to go with 20 blocks.

He played his prep ball at Evangel Christian where he averaged 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds on 68 percent shooting. In the 2023 recruiting class, Malonga was rated the No. 31 center and No. 3 player in Kentucky according to 247Sports' composite rankings.