More Kentucky Wildcats agree: "I'm definitely glad [Mo Dioubate] is on our side now"

We’ve now talked to all four core returning players from last year’s Kentucky team. When asked about their new teammates, all four have said the same thing: they’re really glad Mo Dioubate is on their side now.

Trent Noah and Collin Chandler are the latest to sing Dioubate’s praises, joining Otega Oweh and Brandon Garrison, who talked to reporters last week. Even as freshmen, both Noah and Chandler got plenty of playing time against Alabama last season, logging double-digit minutes in two of the Cats’ three games against the Crimson Tide. Dioubate excelled in those showings, totaling eight points, eight rebounds, and three assists in 18 minutes during game one at Rupp Arena; four points and five rebounds in 18 minutes in game two in Tuscaloosa; and 13 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes in the final game in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Otega Oweh drew the brunt of Dioubate’s wrath on defense, but Noah saw enough in those games and practice so far to know he’s a beast.

“I’m definitely glad he’s on our side now,” Noah said of Dioubate on Monday. “I would not want to run and run into him, that’s for sure.”

Dioubate’s reputation on defense speaks for itself. Oweh scored in single digits in only three games last season; two of those were against Alabama with Dioubate as his primary defender. Chandler is also looking forward to seeing how Dioubate’s offense grows under Mark Pope. Last season, the 6’7″ 215 lbs. wing averaged 7.2 points per game on 47.4% shooting, along with 5.9 rebounds. His 46.2% mark from three-point range may raise your eyebrows, but as Chandler noted, that was on limited attempts, 12-26.

“Mo is awesome. He is kind of a Jack of all trades, I would say, to describe him. He’s obviously very physical. He’s very physically gifted, and so that comes in handy on defense, but also he can force his will on offense. He’s also a very good shooter. He shot a very good percentage. I don’t think he shot a big volume of shots last year, but he’s a very good shooter, actually, which makes him very dangerous, and is going to make him a big asset to our team.”

“I think he’s special,” Mark Pope said of Dioubate at his offseason press conference in May. “His skill set fits us in a brilliant way. I just can’t wait to see what he can do for us on the court.”

Of course, Dioubate isn’t the only opponent turned Wildcat. After winning a national championship at Florida, Denzel Aberdeen is bringing his talents to Lexington. Noah and Chandler also raved about Aberdeen’s performance so far in practice. Noah said he’s enjoying getting to know and learning from everyone on the roster, especially the transfers from other programs.

“We have so many guys that you can learn from, especially off last year’s team, and then the guys coming in this year, these guys have started at a high level. So, I mean, you can even pick their brains. Even though I’ve played a year, I still have so much more to learn. So, just sitting around talking with them, gathering more information.”

Oweh is especially going to enjoy watching Dioubate shut down other teams’ leading scorers.

“It’s gonna be lovely,” Oweh said last week. “I know what he brings, and I didn’t like playing against him, if I’m being honest. I know he’s gonna have that same effect on other people on other teams. It’s gonna be great.”

As a big trash talker himself, Brandon Garrison feels like he’s found a kindred soul.

“Physicality, great defender, fast, mobile, but I say really, just his physicality is gonna help this team out,” Garrison added of Dioubate. “Everybody’s seen that, that’s a part of this game. But we talked about a couple of games, you know, because they beat us and stuff. So we talk about that, just playing around. I feel like me and him are gonna connect real well. We’ve already been chopping up a lot, we’ve been on the game a lot, talking outside of the facility.”

Kentucky added a lot of talent from the transfer portal; if you look at last season’s weaknesses, Dioubate could be the piece the Cats needed the most.

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