San Diego State beats UCLA, USC for 4-star recruit in major 2027 recruiting haul

Brian Dutcher's Aztecs have secured commitments from two 6-foot-11 centers in consecutive days, including a nationally ranked prospect

San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher. | Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

Brian Dutcher’s San Diego State Aztecs are making fast work of signing big men from the class of 2027. 

The Aztecs beat out several big-name schools when four-star Mahamadou Diop, who is ranked in the Top 100 nationally by most recruiting services, committed on Monday. He’s the second 6-foot-11 recruit in as many days to announce his intention to head to Montezuma Mesa.

Diop was born in Mali, Africa, and is currently a senior at San Gabriel Academy up the freeway in Pasadena.

Another 6-11 center, Precious Sam, committed to the Aztecs on Sunday.

What to know about 4-star SDSU commit Mahamadou Diop

Rivals has Diop ranked No. 66 overall in the class of 2027 and No. 9 among centers. 

NEWS: 4⭐️ Mahamadou Diop has committed to San Diego State, he told @Rivals. ⁰⁰The 6-foot-11 center is a top-70 overall recruit in the 2027 class. https://t.co/bm5KKD97ix pic.twitter.com/KBo1fwA9M8

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) October 19, 2026

He visited SDSU on Sept. 25 and picked the Aztecs over the other big hoops schools in Southern California, UCLA and USC. Other schools that had offered him were California, Oregon, former league rival UNLV, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech and new Pac-12 foe Washington State. 

Why Mahamadou Diop chose San Diego State

“The top priorities during this whole recruiting process was finding a school that fits my play style, where I know I would get better the moment I stepped on campus, and the opportunity to earn big minutes right away as a freshman,” Diop told Rivals. “Coach Dutch and SDSU have such a long and amazing history of winning, developing players, and producing pros. I want to be a part of that and make more history at SDSU."

Diop also told Rivals that he is “a dynamic athletic big that can play the 4 and 5. I am a great rim protector, lob threat, rebounder and am at my best when I'm running the floor and playing with a high motor. I use my athleticism and motor to create energy generating plays and winning plays. I love to win and try to make winning plays." 

How Mahamadou Diop fits into SDSU's 2027 recruiting class

Dutcher is loading up on big men because the Aztecs will lose Jeremiah “Bear” Cherry and Luca Vincini after this season. Cherry transferred from Sacramento State and Vincini was one of three European pros who signed with the Aztecs in the spring but weren’t certified by the NCAA until recently. Both are 6-10.

The additions of Diop and Sam give SDSU three commits from the class of 2027. Davey Harris, a 6-5 wing, signed in September from the Windward School in Los Angeles. Harris is coached by D.J. Gay, who was a guard on the teams that helped put SDSU in the national spotlight under Steve Fisher in the 2010s. 

The Aztecs continue their exhibition schedule by hosting USC on Friday night and Long Beach State on Oct. 28. The regular-season opener is Nov. 3 at home against Fullerton State.