Houston Cougars in Final 5 For Best Center in the Country

Diane is a five-star center out of Iowa United Prep in Norwalk, IA. He is ranked as the best center in the 2026 class, the best player in his state and the No. 15 player nationally. Diane is originally from West Africa and has also spent time in Canada. 

“Diane is arguably the most physically dominant big man in the national class,” 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein wrote in July. “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 and a broad upper body. He’s immovable in the post, very hard for opposing defenders to get around, and also has good hands. Not only is he looking to hammer emphatic dunks whenever possible, but he also has some natural touch and skill. He can step out and show some shooting potential, with a very high – virtually unblockable release.”

He uses his imposing frame to bring in 10.8 rebounds per game. He is also a dominant rim protector and averages over one block per game. On the Adidas 3Stripes Select Basketball circuit, Diane went five-for-nine from beyond the 3-point line and made over 70 percent of his free throws. From the field, he is good for 80 percent. 

At nearly 300 pounds, he has a frame that is comparable to early Shaquille O’Neal, Zach Edey, Andre Drummond and Nikola Jokić. 

Joining Houston in Diane’s final five are Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas and Virginia. He is set to visit Houston on October 24, Indiana on October 17, Virginia on September 26, Arkansas on September 19, and Kentucky on September 12. 

The Houston Cougars are set to start their 2025 campaign against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on October 26. The game will be played at the Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas, with tipoff time to be announced.