Mo Dioubate endorses comparison of Kentucky basketball and Alabama football

Kentucky basketball and Alabama football have long been linked given their comparable international brand appeal, diehard fan bases and perpetual national championship expectations regardless of reality.

Both programs have been guided by some of their sports’ most legendary head coaches — Kentucky has Adolph Rupp and Rick Pitino (who combined for five national titles in Lexington) while Alabama has Paul “Bear” Bryant and Nick Saban (who combined for 12 national titles in Tuscaloosa). And each have a legitimate claim to being considered among their respective sports’ most successful programs with multiple national titles — the Wildcats rank second all-time with eight all-time NCAA Tournament championships while the Crimson Tide claim a FBS-best 18 national titles.

For new Wildcats forward Mouhamed “Mo” Dioubate, who transferred into Lexington this past offseason following two years at Alabama, it’s a very apt comparison.

“I can agree,” Dioubate said June 23. “Because Alabama football has been the best program probably ever in college, and with Kentucky (basketball), you can say that too. (Both) have … expectations. Some teams can make March (Madness) by beating Kentucky.”

What those lofty expectations will mean for both programs this upcoming season is yet to be seen, but there’s no doubt both Alabama football and Kentucky basketball remain among the pinnacle programs of their respective sports entering 2025.

Mo Dioubate explains what drew him to Kentucky

Kentucky made a big splash in the Transfer Portal this offseason when it poached forward Mouhamed Dioubate from SEC-rival Alabama. As a pivotal member of last season’s Alabama team that reached the Elite Eight, Dioubate averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds and recorded a double-double in their Round of 64 game against Robert Morris.

Dioubate and the Crimson Tide defeated Mark Pope‘s Kentucky team in all three games (two regular season matchups and an SEC Tournament meeting) last season. In the three matchups against his future team, he averaged 8.3 points and seven rebounds per game.

Dioubate explained what drew him to Lexington at a recent media opportunity, and even revealed some of his favorite Wildcat players growing up.

“I felt like coach [Mark] Pope had a good plan for me and my future,” Dioubate said. “If you knew me, you’d know that Kentucky was my dream school when I was a kid. If I could’ve came there out of high school I probably would have. Just with the opportunity presented, where I was at that point in my life, I felt like that was the right choice for me and my family. That’s why I came here.”

With Kentucky being Dioubate’s dream school growing up, he was asked who some of his favorite Wildcats growing up were. His first answer might surprise you without some context.

“Hamidou Diallo,” Dioubate exclaimed. “He’s one of my favorites. Malik Monk. Bam Adebayo. De’Aaron Fox. Those guys I watched growing up as a kid.”

— On3’s Daniel Hager contributed to this report.