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The Senegalese former midfielder, who died Sunday at age 42, spent three seasons at Fratton Park and was part of Redknapp’s team that won the 2008 FA Cup.
“I was very lucky to have managed such a fantastic boy, he was special,” Redknapp told BBC Sport.
“He did a great job for me at Portsmouth and I think the Portsmouth fans loved him.”
Redknapp continued: “They called it the Closet, it was so big you couldn’t move it. It was a huge colossus, you wouldn’t want to play against it.
“I was talking to my son Jamie [Redknapp, former Liverpool and England midfielder] and said it was a nightmare to play against.
“He was so powerful, a giant man. He ran over you, he was cool in the air and he could pass. He was just a special talent.
“I was distraught when I heard that the big man had passed away, I just couldn’t believe it. He had been such a healthy, fit and strong guy.
“What an athlete, a giant man and losing him at such a young age is very sad.”
Redknapp said that despite Diop’s size, he was a “gentle giant.”
“He was always happy, never said bad words and always laughed at the cheesiest jokes.
“He looked aggressive on the field because he was so big, but he always had a smile on his face.
“I never saw him have a bad word or feel miserable; he was always optimistic.”
