2025-26 Kentucky basketball player preview: Mo Dioubate

One of the players Mark Pope brought in over the off-season to help with defense was Alabama transfer Mo Dioubate, and that's exactly what he will look to make the biggest impact this season. Dioubate is coming into Lexington as one of the best rebounders in the SEC and he put that on display last season, and this year, he's looking to be one of the best overall defenders in the conference.

The 6-7 forward cemented himself as an elite defender over the course of last season. Along with his 7.2 points per game, Dioubate averaged 5.9 rebounds in 16.6 minutes per game. According to Evan Miyakawa's anlytics site, the forward is one of the top defenders among transfers in college basketball heading into the season, ranking fourth among transfers in projected defensive impact. Dioubate is not only a very versatile defender, but he was one of the top rebounders in the SEC, ranking fifth in defensive rebounding percentage.

Kentucky fans may remember, but Dioubate was the main reason why Otega Oweh's streak of double-digit points ended last season, as the 6-7 forward held Oweh to just 2 points on 1-9 shooting in Tusclaloosa, followed by an 8-point performance on 1-6 shooting in the SEC Tournament. Mark Pope seemed to have kept tabs on Dioubate, as it didn't take long for the Wildcats to get involved with the forward this off-season to get him to Lexington. Dioubate's versatility is really what makes him such a dangerous defender, especially when you add in his rebounding numbers.

What could Dioubate's numbers look like this season? Let's make a prediction.

Points: 8.2 per game

Dioubate wasn't much of a scoring threat in his time at Alabama, and things shouldn't be expected to change at Kentucky. The 6-7 forward averaged 7.8 points on a very efficient 61.7 percent, as well as 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Dioubate has already said this summer that he is working on his jump shot, so he could end up being a valuable stretch-four option as the season goes on. Either way, Dioubate shouldn't be expected to have a signifiant impact in scoring.

Rebounds: 7.3 per game

The 6-7 forward is a legit glass-cleaner, as he has a real knack for grabbing rebounds. His versatility impacted his rebounding numbers last season, but these numbers should see an increase under Mark Pope, especially early on. Considering that he had one of the best defensive rebounding percentages in the SEC last season, it would be silly not to expect some sort of jump in his rebound numbers.

Assists: 3.2 per game

This could be a stat Kentucky fans should keep up with throughout the season. With his versatility, Dioubate said earlier this summer that he is looking to showcase a lot more of his playmaking skills, chanelling his inner Amari Williams with how his role was used last season at Kentucky, turning him into a prospect not included on any draft boards to going #46 in the NBA Draft. That's the vision for Dioubate heading into his first year under Mark Pope, as he will get the chance to initiate the offense a number of times and show off his improved playmaking skills, which again, speaks to the incredible versatility that he posesses.

Dioubate's versatility is going to shine in Lexington, a player that Mark Pope knew right away would be a perfect fit for his system, and he wasted no time to make it happen this off-season.