Five-star big man Arafan Diane commits to Houston

By ADAM ZAGORIA

Arafan Diane, the 7-foot-1 center from Iowa United Prep, announced his commitment to Houston on Wednesday.

Ranked the No. 1 center in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports.com, Diane, a native of the West African nation of Guinea, chose the Cougars over Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia and Arkansas.

“He wants to win,” Alex Victor of Alex Victor told Sam Lance. “A lot of coaches say it’s not about the name on the back of your jersey, it’s about the name on the front. Like, when he gets on the court, he doesn’t care if he scores, if he doesn’t score. He wants to win. He’s obsessed with winning.”

Diane could end up replacing Chris Cenac Jr. if he declares for the NBA Draft.

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Written by Adam Zagoria

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Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.