The Bowling Green State University men’s basketball program announced on May 1 the signing of transfer forward Christ Essandoko. The seven-foot player is a rising redshirt senior who spent the previous season with South Carolina and has also played for Saint Joseph’s and Providence.
Essandoko appeared in 21 games for South Carolina during the 2025-26 season, making four starts. He scored a total of 43 points, including six three-pointers, and contributed 34 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks. His most notable performance came against Virginia Tech when he scored eight points with a perfect record from behind the arc.
In the prior season at Providence (2024-25), Essandoko played in 22 games with seven starts. He accumulated 94 points while shooting over fifty percent from the field on seventy-one attempts. He averaged fifteen minutes per game and added eighty-five rebounds, eighteen assists, fourteen blocks, and five steals to his statistics. Against Delaware State he recorded nine points and a season-high twelve rebounds.
During his first two collegiate seasons at Saint Joseph’s, Essandoko sat out his initial year before appearing in twenty-five games with fifteen starts as a sophomore. That year he averaged twenty-one minutes per game along with two hundred four points, one hundred forty-three rebounds, thirty-eight assists, twenty-seven blocks and twelve steals while maintaining a fifty percent field goal rate. A highlight was his double-double against Duquesne—twenty-one points including three three-pointers—and twelve rebounds which led to him being named Atlantic Ten Rookie of the Week.
Essandoko was recognized early in his career by being named to the U18 EuroLeague Junior First Team as well as earning Freshman of the Year honors with Nanterre in France before moving to Winston Salem Christian School where he averaged fifteen points eleven rebounds and three blocks per game as a senior.
“Christ is a unique talent with his inside and outside ability on the offensive end,” said Todd Simon. “His size immediately impacts the game on both ends as well. Offensively, his ability to get catches, command double teams and also shoot the three will allow us to move him around the floor.”
