The 6-foot-11 forward/center has a massive wingspan, is an elite shot blocker, dominates the glass, and has great timing on putback dunks or lob dunks. Diop, in a match-up of two of the premier junior forwards on the West Coast with Taiwo Daramola Taiwo Daramola 6'8" | C Bakersfield Christian | 2027 State CA-S , showed to have the more effective shot mechanics and more polished post-moves to score within 15-feet of the basket, as he would go for 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks in San Gabriel Academy’s win over host Bakersfield Christian, 58 to 45. Diop does a nice job of sealing off his defender, extends his lengthy arms to make himself available for the entry pass, has good back-to-the-basket moves using the shoulder fake to get by his defender, has enough handle to attack from the mid-post, has touch on the hook/floater, and can open up the court with the face-up jumper. Diop had several impressive blocks on Daramola, as he went to his signature short-porch jumper, and Diop fully palmed the ball to reject the shot. He has great timing on weakside, chase-down, and trailer blocks, deflects entry passes into the post, jumps cross court passes, and runs the floor well in the open court to get easy transition buckets/dunks.   

Mahamedau Diop 6’10 | C | 2029 | San Gabriel Academy

Mahamedau Diop was blocking everything that came near him. He makes himself available on both ends of the floor and shows flashes that point to tremendous long-term upside. Still developing the finer details—like defensive positioning and anticipating guard drop-off passes when they penetrate. Diop already impacts games with length, timing, and effort.

The top 2027 center in California standing 6’10, long with good activity in the post. He’s a go to guy who can rack up points in the paints, and rebounds, because of his size and length. You can lob it, he’ll stuff it, or guide it into the basket. He has a hard to block jump hook, and a turnaround jumper. He gets up and down the court pretty well. He’s a rim protector, changing and blocking shots. He mans the paint.

Mahamadou impressed again with his excellent combination of size, length, and athleticism, moving gracefully around the court on both ends. He’s a consistently strong rebounder and a massive deterrent at the rim, while his catch radius makes him a reliable target near the basket on the offensive end. Diop showcased solid touch and refined drop-step post moves, enabling him to show defenders varied looks in and around the paint.