Top-25 senior Arafan Diane, arguably the most physically dominant player in the country, announced his commitment to Houston on Wednesday.
Diane had a final five that also featured Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky and Virginia. The 7-footer took official visits to all five schools, with Kelvin Sampson and Houston getting the final trip in late October.
“Coach Sampson is different,” Diane said. “He pushes you hard with tough love. Off the court, he has strong family values and cares about his players. He is the best defensive coach in the country. He values winning like I do.”
Editor’s Picks
1 Related
The Cougars were considered the favorites entering Diane’s fall visit spree and held off a surge from Indiana down the stretch to earn his commitment.
“He and his staff recruited me hard,” Diane said. “I spoke with Coach Sampson every Sunday and he texted me after games. They have been to my school many times and that meant a lot to me. The fans and the facility are great, too.”
An Iowa United Prep (Iowa) product, Diane is the No. 2 center in the 2026 class and the No. 21 prospect in the SC Next 100. He led the Adidas 3SSB circuit in rebounding last spring and summer, grabbing 10.8 boards per game. Diane also averaged 18.6 points and 1.5 blocks, while shooting better than 74% from the field.
He was at his most dominant at the 3SSB Palmetto Road Championships in July, averaging 21.6 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 blocks in five games.
There is no one more physically imposing in high school basketball — and very few in college basketball — than Diane. He stands at 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, at 290 pounds. He is a true center and plays to his strengths: posting up, finishing drop-offs with thunderous dunks and attacking the offensive glass for second-chance points. Diane will be a massive screener for his teammates, both on and off the ball. He’s also an outstanding screen-and-roll target with large and secure hands to catch and finish. He has low-post touch, as well as short face-up ability, and can occasionally step out and make 3-pointers.
Diane is Houston’s first commitment in the 2026 class, but Sampson’s fourth top-25 recruit in the past two classes after the Cougars landed the No. 2-ranked class in 2025. Houston is also in a strong position for SC Next 100 guard Ikenna Alozie, who could commit in the coming days.
