Get to know the 7-foot-1 'dominant' big man with Kentucky in his final 5

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are in the hunt for one of the most physically imposing big men in all of high school basketball: Arafan Diane, the No. 1 ranked center in the 2026 class. His journey to the top of the recruiting rankings is as remarkable as his talent.

Arafan Diane: From a soccer ball to a basketball

Growing up in Guinea, a nation in West Africa, Diane's life changed at age 12. According to HoopsHQ, while buying a soccer ball at a local market, he was spotted by Souleymane Kasse, a coach with Guinea's national team. Struck by Diane's incredible height and length, Kasse told him to buy a basketball instead. After a two-year delay due to a political coup in his home country, Diane was finally able to move to Canada to pursue the sport.

Now, he is an elite prospect with a final five of Arkansas, Indiana, Houston, Kentucky, and Virginia. After a successful visit to Lexington last weekend, the Wildcats are considered a serious contender for his commitment, which he plans to announce on his birthday, November 19th.

The scouting report: A 'physically dominant' force

Adam Finkelstein, Director of Scouting for 247Sports, describes Diane as a rare physical specimen. "Diane is arguably the most physically dominant big man in the national class," Finkelstein writes. "At 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and near 300-pound frame, he’s big and powerful from head to toe with tree trunk legs."

Finkelstein praises his powerful dunks, good hands, and surprising shooting touch, noting he shot 5-for-9 from three-point range in 3SSB play. He's also a high-volume rebounder (10.8 per game) and a deterrent in the paint. The main areas for improvement are his conditioning and instincts, but Finkelstein notes his "sheer size" often compensates.

If Mark Pope can land his commitment, Kentucky would be getting a player with the potential to be a dominant, game-altering force in the SEC.

Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoyes downtime with his family and Premier League soccer.You can find him on X here.Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion