Top Iowa High School Basketball Prospect Makes College Decision

One of the top high school center prospects in the country has made his college decision official.

Arafan Diane, a 7-footer who plays for the Iowa United Prep Academy based out of Des Moines, Iowa, has committed to play college basketball for the Houston Cougars and head coach Kelvin Sampson.

Diane, the No. 1 ranked center according to Rivals, picked the Cougars over a final five that included Kentucky, Arkansas, Indiana and Virginia. He made trips to all five schools.

Guinea Native One Of Top Players In Class Of 2026

A native of Guinea, Diane is regarded as one of the top prospects in the Class of 2026 by Rivals. He cut Kansas, Oregon, Purdue, Connecticut and Louisville from his final 12 earlier this year.

“Coach Sampson is different,” Diane told ESPN. “He pushes you hard with tough love. Off the court, he has strong family values and cares about his players. He is the best defensive coach in the country. He values winning like I do.

“He and his staff recruited me hard. I spoke with Coach Sampson every Sunday and he texted me after games. They have been to my school many times and that meant a lot to me. The fans and the facility are great, too.”

Competing for the Dynastie Sports Institute out of Montreal before landing at Iowa United Prep, Diane posted 19 points with 12 rebounds per game during the U17 World Cup. He was representing Guinea during the tournament games.

Diane shot over 55 percent from the field during the international event and knocked down 33 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Big Summer Led To Several Offers For Arafan Diane

This past summer, Diane competed on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit, averaging almost 22 points with 13 rebounds, three assists and nearly two blocks per game. That showing further caught the attention of Sampson and other major Division I coaches, who quickly offered him.

Diane has a 7-foot-4 wingspan and weighs 290 pounds. 

Houston made him the first commitment to the Class of 2026, coming off putting together the No. 2 ranked recruiting class in 2025.

Celebrated 18th Birthday On Day Of Commitment

Diane was named a Preseason MaxPreps All-America second team player. He averaged 13.3 points with five rebounds on 52 percent shooting as a junior during the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp held in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

"We established a great connection and relationship with Arafan. His size is obvious. He has long arms and plays bigger than his size. He can play outside. He can handle the ball like Jojo (Joseph Tugler) or J'Wan (Roberts) or Josh Carlton. Arafan is a mixture of all those guys. He can score in the post, he has great hands and is a good passer with a basketball IQ," Sampson said in a press release from the school. "Arafan is a player we can develop into a good college player. If he continues to work, there will be a job for him after that somewhere."

“Arafan Diane, congratulations, welcome to the Cougar family,” Sampson said. “More importantly, happy birthday. Hope you have a great day, big fella.”

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