Oregon coach Dana Altman gathers his team together before the start of their game against UC Riverside at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon Ducks Basketball Offers Top Center Recruit, Seven-Foot Ethan Taylor

Originally posted on Oregon Ducks on SI
By Arden Cravalho | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 5:02 PM ET

Oregon Ducks coach Dana Altman and his staff were looking for their future center at the NBPA Top 100 Camp this past weekend. After offering 7-1 four-star recruit Arafan Diane from Iowa United Prep, the program extended another offer to 7-0 four-star recruit Ethan Taylor from Link Academy in Branson, Missouri. Either one would be a fantastic replacement for star Nate Bittle once he wraps up his collegiate career next season.

Taylor is listed as the No. 21 overall recruit and No. 1 for his position in On3's 2026 class rankings. Diane is No. 22 in the country and the No. 2 center.

Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Blessed to receive an offer from the University of Oregon!! #AGTG pic.twitter.com/8Yl0C3bnnG
— Ethan Taylor (@3thantaylor24) June 14, 2025

Diane has received numerous high-major offers this spring and summer while playing for AAU for MoKan Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit. Those said offers from the Florida State Seminoles, Kansas Jayhawks, Houston Cougars, Texas Longhorns, Baylor Bears, Creighton Bluejays, Indiana Hoosiers, Iowa Hawkeyes, and many more.

He's taken unofficial visits with Kansas, Indiana, the Missouri Tigers, and the Oklahoma Sooners. At this point, no official visits are set.

At the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Taylor was getting some individual post-work training from one of the greatest to ever play the game, Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets.

Hakeem Olajuwon Sharing His SECRETS!

“The Dream” just put in work with 7’2” 4⭐️ Ethan Taylor at NBPA Top 100 Camp @Top100Camp @TheNBPA @3thantaylor24 pic.twitter.com/MKpFEKAgAQ
— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) June 13, 2025

Taylor is already a physical finisher around the rim who takes the contact and is a big man willing to run the floor. He's a smart passer out of the post, which is a skill that not many young players develop at this early part of their career.

On3 recruiting analyst Jaime Shaw spoke with the seven-footer about what his next steps are in his basketball journey.

"When all of this dies down in June, I’ll probably start thinking more about visits and my recruitment. I’ll probably make my final decision towards the fall... I want to play for a coach that I know is going to push me. And in a system that plays through their big a good bit. I want to go into a program that is close-knit and family-oriented. But I want to play for a coach that I trust, and that will stay on me and push me.”Ethan Taylor via On3

Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Another name to monitor in the 2026 recruiting class is four-star combo guard Kohl Rosario from Moravian Prep in Hudson, North Carolina. The No. 27-ranked player in the country (per On3) recently went on an official visit to Oregon and is considering reclassifying to the 2025 recruiting class. Oregon's incoming class just consists of three-star guard JJ Frakes (per 247Sports).

The 2025 Oregon roster currently has 11 of the 15 available scholarship spots filled, led by the return of Bittle, junior guard Jackson Shelstad, and junior forward Kwame Evans Jr..

Dana Altman's 2026 class is currently ranked No. 5 in the country and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference (per On3). The lone commit in the class is 6-6, 250-pound three-star Kendre Harrison. The forward is also planning to play tight end for coach Dan Lanning.