On the floor, on the bench and in the locker room, diversity is the theme for this year’s men’s basketball program.

With players from Europe, southeast Asia and Africa, Diddle Arena has become a melting pot.

“I think it’s great,” coach Darrin Horn said. “They’re all contributing to the program already because they’re tremendous people, and we place a high value on character. I think they’re all going to impact in their own way.”

One of the most talked about international recruits won’t even be playing this year.

Redshirt junior Japeth Aguilar is the first Filipino-born basketball player to receive a Division-I scholarship.

Despite having to sit out, he already is feeling the love from the fans.

“The people here are real appreciative,” he said. “I won’t be playing this year, but I practice with the team every day, and that’s good for me.”

He joins sophomore guard Desire Gabou of the Ivory Coast, junior forward Raed Mostafa of Germany and junior forward Boris Siakam of Cameroon.

Horn said each brings qualities that will benefit the team.

“Desire Gabou is a tremendous athlete and brings you great quickness and strength on the perimeter,” he said. “I think he’ll be very solid for us.”

Listed at six feet 2 inches, Gabou was easily the most impressive participant in this year’s dunk contest at Midnight Madness.

The most glaring hole in his game is his inexperience in organized basketball.

His previous school, the University of Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, France, which he attended for a year before transferring to the Hill, didn’t have a basketball team.

Neither did his high school in the Ivory Coast.

Mostafa, a 6-foot-8-inch junior college transfer, not only played two years for North Dakota State College of Science, also has logged time with TuS Lichterfelde Club in Germany prior to coming to the United States.

“Raed is a guy who’s got a great skill set and feel for the game, and I think he’s going to bring us good versatility,” Horn said.

Horn said that despite Aguilar’s absence from games, the center will continue to mature and his understanding will improve.

“Japeth, even though he can’t play this year, makes us better because we have a 6 foot 9 athlete out there that can do some things so it helps to go against him,” Horn said. “He’s an extremely long athletic guy that has a really bright future, and I think we’d really love to have him.”

Senior guard Benson Callier said having the players on the team can do nothing but benefit the program.

“They’re all strong, athletic guys,” he said. “Anytime you can have guys like that to practice against, it makes the practices more intense and competitive.”

Horn said having such diversity on the team speaks to not only team values, but also to the integrity of Western as an institution.

“I think it’s good to have people of different backgrounds and different countries, and it’s one of the main missions of the university, so I feel our basketball program is right in line with that.”

Reach Ed Lukins at sports@wkuherald.com.