(Editor's note: Montana State Athletics news release.)
BOZEMAN — Coach Matt Logie completed the "puzzle" on Wednesday, announcing the signing of ultra-talented wing Max Agbonkpolo to finalize the 2024-2025 Montana State men's basketball roster.
The versatile athlete comes to Montana State by way of Utah State, previously spending time at both USC and Wyoming.
"We couldn't be more excited to add Max Agbonkpolo to our Montana State Basketball family," Logie said. "Max is an extremely versatile perimeter player at 6-foot-9 who can dribble, pass, shoot and defend all over the court and brings NCAA Tournament experience at the highest levels of college basketball at both USC and Utah State."
This past season playing for former Montana State player and coach Danny Sprinkle, Agbonkpolo appeared in 10 games for the Aggies, making one start, before missing the remainder of the season due to injury.
The forward averaged 5.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, scoring a season-high ten points with seven rebounds in a win over Santa Clara on December 13, and making his first start of the year on December 16 prior to missing the rest of the season.
"Alongside some former MSU Bobcats, Max was a part of an incredibly successful season last year at Utah State and is very knowledgeable about the culture of our basketball family, our community, and the goals we have for the future of MSU Basketball," Logie said. "I can't wait to see the impact he will make here at Montana State."
In 2022-23 while playing for Wyoming, the wing appeared in 16 games, averaging 5.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Agbonkpolo's best season statistically came in 2021-22 while a junior for USC. The native of Laguna Niguel, California, appeared in 33 games and started 18 for the Trojans, averaging 7.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for a team that went 26-8 and earned a No. 7-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Over the first three seasons of his career while at USC, Agbonkpolo appeared in 90 games with 21 starts, scoring 381 points and collecting 227 rebounds.
Agbonkpolo was a former four-star recruit ranked in the top-60 in the country and the No. 5 player in the state of California in the class of 2019, ranked No. 52 nationally by 247Sports, No. 56 by Rivals.com and No. 64 by ESPN.com.
The 2024-25 season will mark the final year of college basketball for Agbonkpolo, who joins guard Jeremiah Davis (Fullerton College), guard Jabe Mullins (Washington State), forward B.J. Kolly (Western Washington), guard Bryce Zephir (Salt Lake CC), and guard Trap Johnson (Belton HS) as members of the Bobcat signing class.
Returners for the Cats include forward Brandon Walker, guard Tyler Patterson, guard Brian Goracke, guard Patrick McMahon, forward Sam Lecholat, forward Chika Nduka, guard Jed Miller, guard Royce Robinson, and forward Calum Rutherfurd.
Montana State is coming off its third consecutive Big Sky tournament championship and third straight trip to the NCAA tournament.
