Calipari's Arkansas program makes Final Five list for No. 1 center prospect

Razorbacks are expected to host the skilled, talented big man on a visit later this month

Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari on the sidelines against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Ark. | Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As expected, John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks made the Final Five list of schools for the nation's No.1 high school center, 2026 priority recruit Arafan Diane.

Diane (7-1 forward-center, Iowa United Prep, national Top 10, 5-star prospect) released his final college leaders list on Friday, a group of programs that includes Arkansas, Houston, Kentucky, Indiana, and Virginia.

Diane was set to visit Arkansas the weekend of Sept. 12-14, and prior to those plans he was originally slotted to come to campus Aug. 29-31, but he recently indicated there's a new, third visit date to Arkansas.

Diane told us on Tuesday that he's rescheduled his Arkansas visit for the weekend of Sept. 19-21.

"They (visit dates) have changed," Diane said. "I will be there on Sept. 19."

His new dates were confirmed by his guardian, Alex Victor, although Victor told us a formal list of as many as five upcoming OV's for Diane will be released on social media later this week.

Is Calipari doubling up on same weekend visits?

The significance regarding Diane's new visit plans is based on how other known official visits are scheduled as of today.

Diane will be on campus the same weekend that 2026 Jordan Smith, Jr. (6-2 guard, native of Fairfax, Va., national No. 2, 5-star prospect) is set to take his official visit to Arkansas.

Multiple official visits on the same weekend would mark a first for Calipari at Arkansas when you look at his 2025 recruit visit cycle last year and the way the current is laid out. Well, how it was laid out until the Diane change.

It's not out of the realm of possibility that Smith, Jr., could move up or move out his OV date, but for now it appears he and Diane will be on campus together.

Both players have other visit dates scheduled as well that push into October.

No surprise, Arkansas makes the Final Five cut list for 2026 priority target & Nat'l Top 10 / 5-star Arafan Diane @DianeArafan1 ... https://t.co/HxilYha499

— Kevin McPherson (@ARHoopScoop) September 5, 2025

Calipari has been prioritizing Diane as a recruit for more than a year

Calipari extended a scholarship offer to Dinae in July 2024.

He traveled to Iowa United Prep in 2024 as well to visit with Diane.

Calipari and his coaching staff have been consistently seated courtside for Diane's spring-and-summer grassroots basketball games playing for 17U Team Iowa United on the prestigious Adidas 3SSB circuit.

Assistant coach Chuck Martin was present for most of Diane's games, while Calipari was courtside throughout July, which included mid-July at Adidas 3SSB competition in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Diane averaged a double-double: 16.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game on the Adidas 3SSB circuit in 2025.

In late, Diane shifted from Adidas 3SSB to the Made Hoops circuit for one weekend, and Calipari was out to see him compete in a handful of games during the final July live evaluation period in North Augusta, S.C.

Diane had teamed up with 2026 5-star Arkansas commit JaShawn "JJ" Andrews (6-6 wing, Little Rock Christian Academy) in 5-on-5 competitive play during a few elite camps and all-star game events in 2025, including the NBPA Top 100 camp in June and the Mamba League Invitational in late August.

Victor has, on multiple occasions, commented on the on-court chemistry between Diane and Andrews as a positive.

Diane is massive in size while packing an impressive skill set as a perimeter shooter, interior scorer, and passer while providing an active motor while running end-to-end on the court.

Arkansas' current on-campus prospect visit dates list

• Aug. 29-31 was the recent visit date for Caleb Holt (6-5 guard, Prolific Prep, native of Huntsville, Ala., national No. 2, 5-star prospect)

• Sept. 5-7 Brandon McCoy, Jr. (6-5 guard, Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles, national Top 5, 5-star prospect) 

• Sept. 19-21 Arafan Diane (7-0 center, Iowa United Prep, native of Guinea, national No. 6, 5-star prospect)

• Sept. 19-21 Jordan Smith, Jr. (6-2 combo guard, Fairfax, Va., national No. 2, 5-star prospect)

• Sept. 26-28 Tay Kinney (6-2 guard, Overtime Elite, native of Newport, Ky., national No. 12, 5-star prospect) 

• Oct. 3-5 Cole Cloer (6-7 small forward / wing, native of Hillsborough, N.C., national Top 25 prospect)

• Oct. 24-26 (may be tentative) Baba Oladotun (6-10 combo forward, Silver Springs, Md., national Top 10, 5-star prospect)

• Dates TBA (confirmed already finalized) Abdou Toure (6-6 wing, Notre Dame high school in West Haven, Conn., national No. 20, 5-star prospect)

• Dates TBA (confirmed already finalized) Chase Foster (6-8 forward, Baltimore, Md., national No. 38, 4-star prospect)