Mo Dioubate is being an all-around player (and getting his jersey ripped in the process)

When Mark Pope landed Mo Dioubate out of the transfer portal in the offseason, it was a significant addition for the Wildcats.

After two seasons and 70 games played with the Crimson Tide, which saw him appear in a Final Four in 2023 and an Elite Eight in 2024, Dioubate immediately brought some needed SEC experience to the 2025-26 Kentucky Wildcats before even playing a game. But it was more than just his two seasons at Alabama that enticed Pope — it was Dioubate’s relentless play style.

Kentucky lacked physicality at times in 2024-25. By himself, Dioubate has already changed that.

Through two exhibitions and the season-opener, we’ve seen how impactful he can be on the hardwood.

In Tuesday night’s 77-51 win over Nicholls to kick off the regular season, Dioubate posted seven points (3-5 FG), seven rebounds, a career-high tying four assists, and a steal in his 21 minutes of action. In the exhibitions, the 6-foot-7 versatile forward went for eight points and nine rebounds against Purdue before registering 13 points and seven rebounds against Georgetown. Consistency has already been a theme for him.

On both ends of the floor, he’s been doing whatever it takes to come out with the win.

“That’s always been the mindset,” Dioubate said after the win over Nicholls. “I try to do what I can to help us win. I try to get a little assists, try to get as many rebounds as I can. The points, that’s gonna work out with itself. I try to be all over the court, I try to be an all-around player, the best I can.”

Kentucky’s offense struggled heavily in the first half against Nicholls, but Dioubate was someone who prevented it from looking even worse.

With the game scoreless over two minutes in, he ripped down a rebound, pushed the ball up the floor, and floated a perfect lob to Brandon Garrison for the game’s opening points. Garrison repaid Dioubate less than a minute later by gifting him a layup under the basket to make it a 4-0 lead. After grabbing an offensive rebound a few minutes later, Dioubate kicked the ball out to Denzel Aberdeen for Kentucky’s first three-pointer of the night.

Seven of UK’s first eight points were fueled by Dioubate. He was up to three points, five rebounds, and three assists in just the first half alone. His fingerprints were all over this game from start to finish, evidenced by his team-high +20 in the box score.

Nicholls apparently had enough of him bullying them around, too. During the second half, while going up for a rebound, Dioubate recalls getting pulled by a Nicholls player, which ripped open a hole in his jersey. Three different reporters asked about the tear in his jersey during the postgame press conference.

“They just fouling me like usual,” Dioubate said with a grin. “Nothing new.”

Dioubate is the exact type of player that Kentucky needed more of last season: a big, strong, ultra-physical presence down low who can do a little bit of everything. He’s not here to rack up double-digit scoring games, but he’s still averaging 9.3 points on 61.1 percent (11-18) shooting through two exhibitions and one regular-season game. He also went without recording a single foul against Nicholls, an issue that gave him some troubles at times while at Alabama.

“I’m feeling all right. I’m feeling good,” Dioubate said. “I’m not content, but we got a lot of games to go this season.”

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