Oregon Ducks, Dana Altman Offer Massive Center Recruit Arafan Diane

Four-star center recruit Arafan Diane has had a productive summer with Team Iowa United and at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, earning an offer from Oregon Ducks coach Dana Altman. He's one of the premier post products in the 2026 recruiting class and plans to visit Eugene in September.
Oregon head coach Dana Altman talks to his team before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana Grizzlies at Matthew Knight Arena Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Eugene, Ore.
Oregon head coach Dana Altman talks to his team before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana Grizzlies at Matthew Knight Arena Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Eugene, Ore. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Born in Guinea in West Africa, four-star center Arafan Diane has received an offer from coach Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks. The 2026 recruit stands at 7-1 and weighs 260 pounds.

He's listed as No. 22 overall recruit and No. 2 for his position in On3's 2026 class rankings. Diane competes for Iowa United Prep in Norwalk, but originally started playing competitive basketball in Montreal, Quebec. Iowa United Prep is known for developing basketball talent from African descent.

Oregon head coach Dana Altman calls to his team during the second half against Montana Monday Nov. 29, 2021.
Oregon head coach Dana Altman calls to his team during the second half against Montana Monday Nov. 29, 2021. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Diane has received numerous high-major offers this summer, including those from the Purdue Boilermakers, Kansas Jayhawks, UConn Huskies, Houston Cougars, Texas Longhorns, Indiana Hoosiers, Louisville Cardinals, Arizona Wildcats, and many more.

The big man has agile footwork in the post for his young age and isn't afraid to back down his defender, plus he plays physically right at the rim. Diane has more than solid shooting fundamentals and can stretch out the floor despite his rather large frame. Once he steps onto a college basketball facility and does some fine-tuning with his stroke, he can be quite the offensive weapon. Diane crashes the offensive glass as well, which any college basketball coach would love to see out of a young prospect.

At the NBPA Top 100 Camp for Team Andre Drummond, Diane averaged 13.3 points on 52.0 percent shooting to go along with 4.9 rebounds. In the spring AAU session for Team Iowa United on the Adidas circuit, he averaged 16.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks.

 Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond shoots the ball before the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks
Apr 3, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond shoots the ball before the third quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

MORE: Five-Star Quarterback Ryder Lyons Visiting Oregon: Ducks Trending For Commitment?

MORE: Tampa Bay's Todd Bowles Makes Bold Statement On Rookie Tez Johnson's Speed, Playing Time

MORE: Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett Reveals First Impression Of 'Composed' Dillon Gabriel

247Sports analyst Travis Branham saw Diane at the Adidas 3SSB in Ladera Ranch, California, back in May.

"He is a massive presence on the court and it's not just due to his size, but he also plays with a high motor on both ends of the court, plays very physical, and has some nice hands and feet on the block.... Diane was contesting everything, and with his physicality, he set the tone early to inject fear into his opponents and would think twice before driving the lane."
247Sports' Travis Branham on Diane

Diane is scheduling an official visit to Eugene sometime in September. Another name to monitor in the 2026 recruiting class is four-star combo guard Kohl Rosario from Moravian Prep in Hudson, North Carolina. The No. 27-ranked player in the country (per On3) recently went on an official visit to Oregon and is considering reclassifying to the 2025 recruiting class. Oregon's incoming class just consists of three-star guard JJ Frakes (per 247Sports) along with four transfers.

6-4 junior guard TK Simpkins (Elon Phoenix)

6-7 sophomore forward Devon Pryor (Texas Longhorns)

6-7 junior forward Miles Stewart (Howard Bison)

6-9 sophomore forward Sean Stewart (Ohio State Buckeyes)

Dana Altman's 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 5 in the country and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference, according to On3. The lone commit in the class is 6-6, 250-pound three-star Kendre Harrison. The forward is also planning to play tight end for coach Dan Lanning.


Published
Arden Cravalho
ARDEN CRAVALHO

Arden Cravalho is a reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI. He has been writing extensively about college athletics beginning in 2018, specifically as the lead writer and editor for SB Nation's 'The Slipper Still Fits.' Arden is a graduate of Gonzaga University and brings a deep understanding of college sports to his writing. Residing in San Francisco, California, Arden is also a part of the California Golden Bears' athletic department as a Ticket Sales and Service Account Executive. His overall experience and dedication to college athletics are evident in his insightfulness and analysis throughout all of his work.