Louisville still in the hunt for elite 7-Foot 4-star C after major recruiting update

Louisville basketball learns they are one step closer to landing the No. 1 center in the 2026 class after Arafan Diane cut his list to just 12 schools, and the Louisville Cardinals are in it, per On3 Sports/Rivals Joe Tipton. The Cardinals have been targeting Diane for quite some time now, as they have been one of the top programs on his list according to On3 Sports predictions.

The 7-foot-280-pound center is one of the top players in the country as he ranks as high as No. 15 in the nation and the best prospect out of Iowa. Louisville is emerging as one of the top landing spots for elite guards, but it is clear that Pat Kelsey wants to try to bring some elite 7-footers in as well.

After Diane has visited Houston unofficially and set official visits with Houston, Kentucky, and Arkansas, those three have jumped Louisville and are given the best chances to land him per On3 Sports. Louisville is in a recruiting battle now with Houston, Kentucky, Arkansas, Washington, Indiana, Purdue, UConn, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Oregon, and Kansas.

Related: Louisville tries to steal 4-star SF from North Carolina’s backyard with crucial visit

Lousiville makes Arafan Diane top 12

Diane comes in ranked unanimously as the top center in the 2026 recruiting class and is one of Kelsey's top targets in the frontcourt in this class. He recently dominated for  Iowa United in the Adidas 3SSB Circuit after he averaged a double-double.

The 7-foot 4-star averaged 21.6 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game, making him a top target for Kelsey. He also represented Guinea in the 2024 U17 World Cup and earned another double-double with 19.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 55 percent from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc.

He earned over 28 offers. Houston is at the top of the list per On3 Sports' updated predictions. The Cardinals had the best chance to earn his commitment with an 11.3 percent chance. However, now Louisville is given less than 1 percent, as Houston skyrocketed up to an 89 percent chance.

Louisville has yet to earn a visit, and Arkansas and Kentucky have earned official visits this September, and Houston has one scheduled for October. Louisville making its top 12 means Kelsey has some time to get back in the race and try to steal him from Houston and these other schools that will visit, but they must move fast.

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For all the latest on Louisville basketball's offseason and recruiting, stay tuned.