Good Morning, Illini Nation: Recruiting internationally

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Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at large:

Illinois turned to a global approach on the recruiting trail when Brad Underwood took control of the program in 2017. International players — or at least players with international experience — helped populate those early Illini rosters. Underwood and Co. shifted away from that for a few years, but it's a clear priority again.

This year's team has three international players in Kasparas Jakucionis (Lithuania), Will Riley (Canada) and Tomislav Ivisic (Croatia). The Illini also have a commitment from Brandon Lee (Puerto Rico) in the Class of 2025.

Another international prospect was added to Illinois' 2026 recruiting board at the end of last week. Miikka Muurinen (Finland) is already a top target. Now Illinois is continuing its recruiting pivot to Africa with an offer out to Arafan Diane (Guinea).

Diane is ranked as a four-star recruit by On3 and as the No. 35 overall prospect in the Class of 2026. The Guinean big man played last season for Institut de Sport Dynastie in Quebec and is now at Iowa United Prep in Des Moines, Iowa, playing for former Iowa guard and North Dakota/Illinois State/Wisconsin assistant Dean Oliver. The Iowa United Prep roster features multiple players from Africa and Quebec.

Diane has represented Guinea internationally the past two years. He helped Syli nationale (National Elephants) win the 2023 FIBA U16 African Championship averaging 17.4 points, 17.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.7 blocks in Tunisia.

That title — a first for the country — secured Guinea a spot in the FIBA U17 World Cup this summer in Turkey. That's where Diane teamed up with what turned out to be two other Class of 2027 Illinois recruiting targets in 6-4 guard Nour Gassim Toure and 6-9 center Sekou Cisse. Both Toure and Cisse play at Principia (Mo.) just outside of St. Louis.

Diane was Guinea's second-leading scorer in Turkey behind four-star 2026 wing Abdouramane Toure, who currently plays at West Haven (Conn.) Notre Dame. Diane put up 19.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, as Syli nationale finished 14th with a 2-5 record.