Mouhamed Dioubate will bring a physical presence to Kentucky this season. (UK Athletics Photo)
This could be a huge recruiting week for Kentucky coach Mark Pope as No. 5 Anthony Thompson, No. 10 Cam Williams and No. 12 Christian Collins were all scheduled to visit.
The 6-foot-8 Collins is a California native who knows UK assistant coach Jason Hart and was coached by Pope at USA Basketball last summer. He also has visited Southern Cal.
Thompson has Kentucky in his final six along with North Carolina, Ohio State, Indiana, Texas and Michigan. Williams has already visited Texas, Purdue and SMU and plans to visit Duke, USC and Arizona next month.
However, no matter what happens, Pope will put together another talented roster for the 2026-27 season just like he has for this year because he’s able to identify players like Alabama transfer Mouhamed Dioubate and get him to Kentucky.
Dioubate could turn out to be the biggest addition for UK and CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jon Rothstein rates him as one of the top “glue guys” in college basketball.
“Dioubate owned 50/50 plays when he was at Alabama and he’ll be expected to do the same this season at Rupp Arena,” Rothstein wrote on College Hoops Today. “This versatile forward isn’t necessarily getting the most attention out of the guys that the Wildcats added out of the transfer portal, but he may wind up being one of the most important additions for Kentucky in its second season under Mark Pope. Whatever ‘it’ is, Dioubate possesses.”
How can you not like whatever it is, Dioubate has it and I think Rothstein is right. The 6-foot-7 forward was only ranked as the No. 62 overall transfer even though he averaged 7.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in just 16 minutes per game last season. He shot 61.7 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore last year.
Dioubate was terrific in three wins over UK last season and was a big reason that UK star Otega Oweh failed to score in two of the three games against Alabama. Oweh failed to score in double figures in only one other game all season.
Alabama won 53 games in the two seasons Dioubate played there and reached the 2024 Final Four.
His defense and physical presence should allow him to make a huge impact for Kentucky and he will give Pope an enforcer the Cats did not have last season.
5 Responses
Gotta have at least one bad ass !
you sure do Paul and now they have one
To me he's a more athletic Chuck Hayes. A banger down low. Someone who does all the little things and is super strong.
Hope you are right Terry because that would be awesome
Dioubate will be a matchup nightmare at the 3 spot. Playing him at the 4 spot would be foolish. Jelavic and Potter will hold the 4 spot down until Quaintance can play and then he will come off the bench to play at the 4 and 5 spots. Jelavic and Potter are better than people know. Garrison's game will take a big leap this year and Moreno is more than capable to play backup minutes there.
Think about this:
Lowe/Aberdeen/Chandler at the point.
Oweh, Noah/Johnson at the 2.
Dioubate/Williams/Hawthorne at the 3.
Jelavic/Quaintance/Potter at the 4.
Garrison/Quaintance/Moreno at the 5.
There is not another college team in the country that has this level of depth at every position. With that being said, it will be interesting to see how Florida uses their 7'9" kid. It is not hard to see Kentucky and Florida playing in the SEC title game and the NCAA title game. Go SEC! Go CATS!!!