Damon Stoudamire and Georgia Tech are on the board early in the class of 2026 in a big way. On Wednesday, five-star big man Moustapha Diop of Atlanta (Ga.) Overtime Elite committed to the Yellow Jackets, he told 247Sports.
Diop is ranked the No. 12 overall player in the junior class and the No. 3 ranked power forward. He is the highest ranked player in the 2026 class to commit.
“I’ve been around the campus a lot, working out there, watching their practices every now and then and I feel that I fit in well with the campus and the basketball program,” Diop told 247Sprorts. “It’s a great basketball program and I believe they will be one of the top programs in the country. I already believe they are one of them because I feel like the program is in good hands with Damon Stoudamire.”
While landing any five-star prospect like the 6-foot-10 Diop is going to be a team effort, Diop made it quite clear that the bond he’s been able to forge with his future head coach was a big factor. Stoudamire’s belief in Diop also played a big role in his early commitment.
“He was a great player before he was a coach and he has a lot of experience being around NBA locker rooms,” Diop said. “He has good experience coaching and I have a good relationship with him. Since he’s come to Georgia Tech, I’ve been around him a lot, we’ve talked a lot and he’s given me a lot of advice. He believes in me and I believe he can really help me get to where I want to go in the future.”
Long and wiry, Diop can really move in the open floor. He protects the rim, takes care of the glass and is a highly switchable defender. He’s got plenty of room to add bulk to his frame and will continue to develop offense. Many young bigs can defend, but few love and take as much pride in playing defense as Diop.
“I play defense and I’m the type of big that can really run the floor,” Diop said. “Most people tell me that I’m the fastest big in the country and that I can guard 1 through 5. I block shots, rebound, there’s no doubt that I love defense.
“On offense, I can catch and shoot some, make plays and get my teammates involved. I’m still working on the offensive side because I can get a lot better and be way more involved on that side.”
Even though he won’t officially make his way to campus until the summer of 2026, Diop is glad to have his decision out of the way and has a simple message for Tech fans.
“It feels great to get the decision out of the way because it was kind of stressful thinking about it and playing in front of college coaches when you have to do everything right. I don’t have to worry about all of that anymore. Georgia Tech fans, I want them to know that they’ve got a dog who is going to keep working and be better by the time I get there.”
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