No. 1 Center in 2026 Recruiting Class Includes Purdue in Top 12
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Purdue is in the mix to land the top-ranked center in the 2026 recruiting class. Arafan Diane, a 7-footer out of Iowa, narrowed his list of schools down to 12 on Monday, per On3's Joe Tipton.
Diane is ranked as the No. 1 center in the 2026 recruiting class and the No. 15 overall prospect, per 247Sports. Along with Purdue, he's also considering Houston, Kansas, Kentucky, UConn, Oregon, Indiana, Louisville, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Washington, and Virginia.
Purdue extended an offer to Diane in mid-June.
NEWS: 2026 Top-25 overall recruit Arafan Diane is down to 12 schools, he tells @Rivals.
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) August 4, 2025
The 7-0 big man is the No. 1 ranked center in the country. https://t.co/faxMrmK9ye pic.twitter.com/sEWPKaYaXm
Diane is a traditional big man who plays extremely well in the low post. He possesses great size and strength, enabling him to dominate in the painted area. When he gets the ball in a good position, he can back down defenders and throw it down with authority. Diane also has a decent jump shot, but he's not a player who can step out behind the three-point line with consistency.
Because of his size and strength, Diane is an imposing figure in the post. He is still a little bit of a raw talent, but with Purdue's successful history of developing big men, he could unlock an entirely new level if he commits to play for Matt Painter and the Boilermakers.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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