Hamidou Diallo to enter draft

[neno]

Diallo an athletic 6'5 guard out of Kentucky to enter draft. Thoughts on where he goes?

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19228161/hamidou-diallo-kentucky-wildcats-declares-nba-draft-agent

[jonjames]

I think hes doing himself a disservice..he could have really used some burn in college for his development..I think he will stay in the draft and hire an agent some team will pick him up somewhere in 20s to late 1st.

[GimmeDat]

At least a year at college seems like the best option for his development, but hey, he's just testing the waters, like quite a few others are.

Who knows where his development is at - if he shows out enough to justify him staying in the draft, he probably ends up in that 15-25 range.

[Nolan]

His physical tools alone are probably enough to make a him a late first round pick but yeah another year at Kentucky would of been good for him.

[cksdayoff]

I like the move but I don't like it. Another year in college probably makes him a lotto pick. But leaving college early means he'll get NBA level coaching and development sooner. His tools are great, now he'll get an NBA coach to work on his shooting.

[E-Balla]

He will be outside the lotto but in the first round definitely. I think he deserves to be a lotto pick though. Wish NY could somehow trade for a pick to grab him.

[MotownMadness]

He will be outside the lotto but in the first round definitely. I think he deserves to be a lotto pick though. Wish NY could somehow trade for a pick to grab him.

Pistons need a backup SG but we really need 3 point shooters so I doubt it.

[whitehops]

if he graduated high school last spring is there a reason why he didn't just go to kentucky right away and play last year? seems odd he joined kentucky halfway through the year if he had the chance to play all year lol.

[doordoor123]

if he graduated high school last spring is there a reason why he didn't just go to kentucky right away and play last year? seems odd he joined kentucky halfway through the year if he had the chance to play all year lol.

Don't think he was eligible by NCAA standards, but he has been going to school at Kentucky.

[whitehops]

if he graduated high school last spring is there a reason why he didn't just go to kentucky right away and play last year? seems odd he joined kentucky halfway through the year if he had the chance to play all year lol.

Don't think he was eligible by NCAA standards, but he has been going to school at Kentucky.

eligible academically?

[doordoor123]

if he graduated high school last spring is there a reason why he didn't just go to kentucky right away and play last year? seems odd he joined kentucky halfway through the year if he had the chance to play all year lol.

Don't think he was eligible by NCAA standards, but he has been going to school at Kentucky.

eligible academically?

I mean eligible to play basketball. He said he has going to school there for 4 months.

[Prokorov]

I think hes doing himself a disservice..he could have really used some burn in college for his development..I think he will stay in the draft and hire an agent some team will pick him up somewhere in 20s to late 1st.

id love him for the nets at 22 or 27 as a high upside pick

with the nets he would actually get huge development minutes and attention... would be a great fit for him with atkinson and being from NY

[reanimator]

don't get the hype

[Goldbum]

Portland @ 26 makes sense if they nab bigs @ 15 and 20.

[nolang1]

don't get the hype

Probably the most physically gifted 2-guard prospect in the past 5 years or so. Yet another of those "if he can figure out how to shoot..." guys.

[reanimator]

don't get the hype

Probably the most physically gifted 2-guard prospect in the past 5 years or so. Yet another of those "if he can figure out how to shoot..." guys.

Depending on classification, Josh Jackson and Wiggins.

That said, his shooting, spatial awareness and ballhandling would all have to get significantly better to reach the ceiling some think he has and thats not a gamble I'm all in on with a lottery pick in any year.

[nolang1]

don't get the hype

Probably the most physically gifted 2-guard prospect in the past 5 years or so. Yet another of those "if he can figure out how to shoot..." guys.

Depending on classification, Josh Jackson and Wiggins.

That said, his shooting, spatial awareness and ballhandling would all have to get significantly better and thats not a gamble I'm all in on.

Yeah, those two would be the only ones I'd consider to be on that level but I'd consider them more as 3s. To that you could say that 2s and 3s are mostly interchangeable, but I think it's a meaningful distinction in that I'd consider Diallo to be a bit quicker and thus more well-equipped to slide down and guard point guards. Consider KCP, who is about to get offered max or near-max money more for his defensive reputation than his three-point shooting; Diallo is quicker, longer, and more explosive than KCP at this stage.

I mean, just the fact that you compared him to two top-3 picks from an athletic standpoint should be a pretty clear indicator that "the hype" that has him possibly being a mid-late first rounder if he stays in isn't exactly out of control. DX has him in the 2nd round and you are literally the only person in this thread who mentioned him going in the lottery, so I'm confused about where this hype is coming from.

[reanimator]

Probably the most physically gifted 2-guard prospect in the past 5 years or so. Yet another of those "if he can figure out how to shoot..." guys.

Depending on classification, Josh Jackson and Wiggins.

That said, his shooting, spatial awareness and ballhandling would all have to get significantly better and thats not a gamble I'm all in on.

Yeah, those two would be the only ones I'd consider to be on that level but I'd consider them more as 3s. To that you could say that 2s and 3s are mostly interchangeable, but I think it's a meaningful distinction in that I'd consider Diallo to be a bit quicker and thus more well-equipped to slide down and guard point guards. Consider KCP, who is about to get offered max or near-max money more for his defensive reputation than his three-point shooting; Diallo is quicker, longer, and more explosive than KCP at this stage.

I mean, just the fact that you compared him to two top-3 picks from an athletic standpoint should be a pretty clear indicator that "the hype" that has him possibly being a mid-late first rounder if he stays in isn't exactly out of control. DX has him in the 2nd round and you are literally the only person in this thread who mentioned him going in the lottery, so I'm confused about where this hype is coming from.

A lot of players have better tools than KCP...doesn't mean the IQ or technique will develop on that end to that extent.

And even if we take out draft position in the conversation, I still don't get the talks about his ceiling when has deficits in so many areas. I can buy him becoming 3 and D though that will take work but anything beyond that seems like a reach.

What makes him more attractive as a prospect than Terrence Ferguson?

[nolang1]

What makes him more attractive as a prospect than Terrence Ferguson?

I haven't watched much of Ferguson in Australia, but even if Diallo is slightly less of a prospect than Ferguson (currently #15 on DX) a mid-late first round selection would still be warranted. I would say Diallo is much better in transition and at slashing (though neither player is someone you'd call a combo guard by any means) whereas Ferguson is better if you're looking for someone who can stand in the corner and provide some spacing right away.

I would add that I've always been biased against Zach Lavine or Rudy Gay-type players because I feel most of their perceived athleticism is tied up in how high they can jump with a clear runway to the hoop (as well as how quickly they can put the ball between the legs or behind the back before they dunk it). Needless to say, those kind of things aren't too relevant in a typical NBA game whereas Diallo[s athleticism is much more functional (lateral quickness, quick off the ground, can jump off either foot).

The obvious thing here is that he was considered the best SG prospect in his high school class in October/November and is now draft-eligible; with a halfway decent season at Kentucky he would be an easy lotto pick in 2018 so if he stays in there could be an opportunity for a team picking later in the first to take that gamble. Clearly much worse 2-guards have been drafted in the 1st round based on much less than Diallo has shown to this point.

[Catchall]

As a Jazz fan, I get interested in the late first round. Hamidou has pretty prototypical size for a 2-guard and is obviously a plus athlete. I'm also intrigued by Frank Jackson declaring.