Idaho men’s basketball announced on May 21 the addition of Mo Diao, a standout big man who spent the past two seasons at the junior college level. Head coach Alex Pribble said Diao will bring size and defensive strength to the team for the upcoming season.
The commitment is seen as an important move for Idaho’s roster, adding experience and interior presence to support both offense and defense. Pribble said, “We’re really excited about the addition of Mo. He has been the top rim protector in junior college basketball the past two years, and he will bring an immediate interior presence to help anchor our defense.”
Pribble also praised Diao’s character and work ethic: “Mo is a terrific young man. He is completely focused on his development and finding ways to help the team win. He has an incredibly high ceiling, and we can’t wait to get him out to Moscow and start working with him.”
Diao played his most recent season at McCook Community College, where he started 25 games for the Indians, averaging 11.4 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds per game during the 2025-26 campaign. He recorded six double-doubles last season as part of a McCook squad that achieved its highest win total in nearly ten years.
Previously, during his freshman year at North Platte Community College, Diao averaged 14.7 points and 8.1 rebounds while shooting over fifty percent from the field—helping lead his team to nineteen wins that season alongside fellow recruit Brady Kennison.
Diao becomes Idaho’s eleventh spring signee this year and joins Kennison as another junior college transfer expected to contribute in the upcoming season.
