BASKETBALL One UK basketball newcomer has exactly what Mark Pope wants. And he knows it
Mark Pope played it positive in his first season as the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. The former UK basketball captain put together a roster on short notice last spring, and that group ended up going a long way in the NCAA Tournament, relative to the program’s recent past, at least. But Pope, encouraging as he was during the 2024-25 season, knows that postseason trips that end in the Sweet 16 don’t meet the annual expectations of Kentucky fans. And, as last season progressed, he watched his team and saw areas that he’d like to shore up moving forward. Rebounding was a common point of concern. So was team defense.
And, especially once SEC play began, physicality, athleticism and plain, old grit were often traits Pope’s Cats lacked. That shouldn’t be the case in year two. A big reason why? Mouhamed Dioubate.
The mere mention of the name draws wide eyes, knowing smiles and shaking heads among UK’s returnees. “I’m definitely glad he’s on our side now,” Trent Noah said. “I would not want to run into him, that’s for sure.” Brandon Garrison, a 6-foot-10 post player, grinned as soon as the subject of Dioubate came up, later praising the 6-7 forward’s speed, mobility, physicality and defensive ability. “I feel like me and him are going to connect really well,” Garrison said. Otega Oweh, the Wildcats’ leading scorer last season, was full of praise for his new teammate. “He’s a physical, physical big,” he said. “So I was excited when we got him. I thought that was a really good get. And I think he’s gonna help us a lot. What he brought to Alabama was that toughness and that grit. So I feel like that’s always good to have.” Later, Oweh was asked what it would be like to play alongside Dioubate. “Oh, it’s gonna be lovely,” he responded, a lilt in his voice that drew chuckles from those gathered around. “I know what he brings in. And I didn’t like playing against him, if I’m being honest.
So I know he’s gonna have that same effect on other people and on other teams.” Oweh, Garrison and Noah weren’t exactly known for backing down last season. These are three very different personalities with three very different skill sets, but no one in that trio could be accused of dialing back the physicality. Oweh was never afraid to venture into contact. Garrison was seemingly always in the mix when things got overly physical on the court. And Noah wouldn’t think twice before bodying up with guys bigger, stronger and more athletic in the paint. All three had a respect for Dioubate before he left Alabama for Kentucky this offseason, and all three are clearly ecstatic that he’s on their side now. So is their coach. “His skill set fits us in a brilliant way,” Pope said. “I just can’t wait to see what he can do for us on the court. He’s coming from an incredible program, an incredible coaching staff — and we’re going to get to enjoy some of the fruit of all the labors that have come with him and by him before he got here. Really excited about him.” Dioubate — everyone calls him “Mo” — wasn’t surprised to hear what his new teammates thought about him last season. Alabama beat Kentucky three times during the 2024-25 campaign, becoming just the third team in history to win three games against the Wildcats in a single season. In those matchups — especially that 99-70 beatdown in the SEC Tournament — the Crimson Tide imposed their will on the Cats. That UK team had an awful lot of offensive talent — and it was an entertaining group to watch — but physicality was not the Cats’ forte. They were missing a guy like Dioubate. “Oh, yeah,” he said, when asked if that was apparent from the outside. “We have a scout for every team we play. Going into this game, I knew that was something that they lacked a little bit. So, once we saw that, we just applied the pressure to it every time we could. And I’m happy I’m able to play with Kentucky this year. And bring it to the team.” A little later, Dioubate returned to the point. “I sensed the dominance that we had in those games,” he said. “… When you smell blood in water, you attack it, right? That’s what a shark does. So, yeah, that was the motto last year. So that’s what it’s gonna be this year.” Mouhamed Dioubate will play for Kentucky this season after transferring from Alabama, where he was a key reserve player the past two years. Tasha Poullard tpoullard@herald-leader.com What Dioubate brings to UK Dioubate spoke frankly this week of UK’s shortcomings last season, and he knows he’s going to be tasked with turning that reputation around when this season begins. Listed at 6-7 and 215 pounds, the Queens native plays much bigger than those measurements. He’s athletic and explosive. He’s incredibly physical, with a motor that seemingly never stops. He takes pride in his defense. He takes pride in his rebounding. He and Pope should get along just fine. Before summer practice even began, the Kentucky coach was raving about what a “special person” he’d found Dioubate to be during the transfer portal process and through their early conversations. That praise will surely extend to the court for as long as Dioubate is a Wildcat. Just a week into practice, the new UK forward noted that Pope had a major emphasis on “wedging” and talked with delight about the term. “It’s just basically hitting a man and go get the rebound — boxing out and stuff,” he said. “That’s what wedging is. Don’t be late on the checkouts. Try to go get every rebound.” Dioubate had just as much glee in his voice when discussing some of his new teammates — specifically super athletic center Jayden Quaintance, versatile guard Denzel Aberdeen and Oweh — and the defensive potential of this UK roster. “I think it’s probably gonna be one of the best defensive teams Kentucky has seen in a while,” he predicted. The Cats often boasted one of the country’s best defenses during John Calipari’s first decade as UK’s coach, but they failed to land in the top 30 nationally in any of his final five seasons in charge, finishing No. 109 overall in the KenPom ratings — the worst mark since that stat began in 1997 — in Calipari’s final season in Lexington. Pope’s first UK team ranked No. 51 nationally in defensive efficiency, and those Cats were sitting outside the top 100 before a major turnaround at the end of the season. Dioubate, who has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining, is ready and motivated to reverse that trend, but he didn’t make the jump from Bama to UK just to be an enforcer or the Wildcats’ glue guy. There’s more to his game. He grew up in the same part of New York as former UK guard Hamidou Diallo — both have family roots in West Africa — and talked about the ex-Cat as a big-brother-type figure. Dioubate also grew up a Kentucky fan, watching more NBA than college as a kid before quickly falling love with the Cats after seeing the 2016-17 team — led by De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo — do their thing on the court. Dioubate shot 46.2% from 3-point range last season, his role and playing time — just 16.0 minutes per game — limiting him to only 26 long-range attempts. His former Alabama teammates have gushed about his overall skill, saying he rarely got to show that side of his game with the Tide and predicting bigger things for this season. Pope is going to let Dioubate shoot. He’s going to let him dribble. He’s called him a “point forward” behind the scenes, and his playing time is almost sure to skyrocket this season. “He knows what I’m able to do,” Dioubate said. “He has confidence in me.” And that’s a mutual feeling going into their first season together. For everything that Dioubate wants to show of his game starting in November, he knows what kind of mentality he needs to bring to the floor. The kid who grew up playing on courts in Queens where hardly anyone called fouls has found a kindred spirit at Kentucky. “Coach Pope, he played for (Rick) Pitino, so he loved that hard stuff,” Dioubate said. “He loved that tough stuff, you know, of being a dog and doing all the intangibles and stuff. He’s very big on that. That’s the reason why he recruited me.”
