Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats are in the hunt for one of the most physically imposing big men in all of high school basketball: Arafan Diane, the No. 1 ranked center in the 2026 class. His journey to the top of the recruiting rankings is as remarkable as his talent.
Arafan Diane: From a soccer ball to a basketball
Growing up in Guinea, a nation in West Africa, Diane's life changed at age 12. According to HoopsHQ, while buying a soccer ball at a local market, he was spotted by Souleymane Kasse, a coach with Guinea's national team.