Sampson said<\/a>. \u201cWe practiced this morning for about two hours and just watching, (Delrecco) is always where the ball is. That\u2019s the key to being a good rebounder.\u201d<\/p>\nGillespie has turned a lot of heads so far this offseason, and he has shown why he lead the nation in double-doubles last season in both facets of his game.<\/p>\n
\u201dWhen the ball\u2019s shot and it bounces, wherever it bounces that is where he is,\u201d Sampson said. \u201cThat\u2019s a knack. That\u2019s something you can\u2019t teach.\u201d<\/p>\n
While rebounding is a huge part of his game, he is just as good in the scoring department.<\/p>\n
Gillespie stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs 230 pounds, and he is very athletics for his size.<\/p>\n
All of his scoring comes from the paint, and he has very good footwork along with an outstanding hookshot that allows him to beat his opponent in several different ways.<\/p>\n
His pure strength and size will lead to many easy buckets next season, and he will be one of the toughest bigs to guard in the entire Big 12 Conference.<\/p>\n
The Cougars also landed Diane, a 5-star center from Iowa United Prep, and he was the No. 1 player at his position in the 2026 class.<\/p>\n
Diane is mucher bigger than Gillespie, standing at 7-foot and weighing 293 pounds. While Gillespie is more athletic, Diane is an absolute force down low, and he is nearly impossible to stop because of his size.<\/p>\n
In order to fit into Sampson\u2019s system, Diane has already prioritized dropping slightly in weight to allow himself to move around better and to become more athletic.<\/p>\n
With Gillespie and Diane now both in Houston\u2019s program, it is clear that both guys fit the mold of what the Cougars are trying to do with their bigs.<\/p>\n
Both players both directly fix the offensive scoring problem in the paint, and they can each rebound at an elite level.<\/p>\n
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![\"Delrecco](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/01kw4bbpaf7epvcbv6ch.jpg\" "\\"Delrecco")
<\/p>\n