Kentucky Basketball: NBA scouts speak up about Hamidou Diallo

We’re nearing decision time for Hamidou Diallo, and nobody seems to know what this young man is going to do.

This has been one of the more interesting offseasons for Kentucky basketball. The mass exodus of players included seniors, lottery picks, and undecided players alike. There was no doubt that Bam Adebayo and Isaiah Briscoe would hire an agent. Then comes the decision of Hamidou Diallo to test the waters and see where he’d land. Diallo’s departure was one that every player should take advantage of, but many want to see him play at least one season in the blue and white.

When Diallo received an invite to the NBA combine, it seemed that the possibility of him staying in the draft was likely. He dazzled many NBA scouts and executives and many claimed him to be the most athletic player at the combine. Then he made the decision to sit out of the 5-on-5 drills portion of the combine, raising hopes for all. It’s easy to make a case for Diallo to come back, but also easy to flip that argument for him to stay in the draft.

Come Back, Hami

The case for Hami to come back to the Kentucky Basketball program to play his freshman season is quite an easy one. DraftExpress.com has him going 36th overall to the Celtics, which basically means he will start out in the D-League. Or, he could return to Kentucky and play on roster that is comprised of potentially the best class in college basketball history.

The odds that he could play his way into a lottery pick, or at least a top-20 pick are very high. His athleticism and length are something you cannot teach, and playing at Kentucky, he will be going against other first rounders, every day. Additionally, if the Cats were to pull in a national title, his stock would skyrocket. If there’s anything NBA executives loves, it’s a proven winner.

So, the case for Diallo to come back and improve his draft stock is a prominent one. He can improve his jumpshot, an early critique of his game, and his defense. His decision is a tough one though, as some scouts are reporting that he might stay in the draft.

Reasons Why He Should Stay

In the previous section, I mentioned how DraftExpress.com had Diallo listed at 36th overall, but that was just one source. Sportingnews.com has him listed at 22nd overall, making it seem as if it is entirely possible that he stays in the draft. Here’s what Sam Vecenie of Sporting News had to say about him:

"Diallo will dominate the athletic testing portion as an explosive wing, and has been measured in the past at 6-5 in shoes with a 6-10 wingspan. As mentioned earlier this week, Diallo is making the right call not participating in the five-on-five."

Hami has received some first round hype after showing off his extraordinary athleticism and length. Adam Zagoria posted that the Pacers, Dallas, and Brooklyn have all displayed an extreme interest in Diallo:

For teams chasing high-upside and teams with multiple first-round picks to chase such, Hamidou Diallo is at the top of that list. There is a lot of uncertainty with his game and if he’s NBA ready. That’s why his decision to sit out of the 5-on-5 drills was brilliant. It makes it difficult to scrutinize his game, leaving combine results the only sample scouts have.

All it takes is one team to guarantee a pick on him, and it’s hard to speculate.

Where does that leave Kentucky Basketball?

Either way this shakes out, it’s a win for Kentucky basketball. If he comes back to Kentucky, that’s another five-star guard to a historic recruiting class. With the surprise addition of Kevin Knox on Saturday, getting Diallo back would make Kentucky Basketball a lethal and deep backcourt. Kentucky would be the clear-cut preseason number one team in the country, and a favorite to win the title.

Now, if Hami stays in the draft, Calipari has a hell of a recruiting pitch. He never even suited up for Kentucky, and he’s still a potential first-rounder. The first ever “zero-and-done” for Calipari, and it does nothing but help out with recruiting down the road.

The pressure of this decision is literally life-changing for Hamidou Diallo. Every scout and executive has there own opinion on his game and what he should do. There’s no doubt that this one of the hardest decisions that he’s had to make.

Next: Kevin Knox commits to Kentucky

Obviously, BBN wants him to come back, as do I. But, at the end of the day, it’s his decision, and if the guarantee is there, why not take that shot? The end game for all of these players is to play in the NBA, Cal knows it, we know it. So whatever he decides, he’s got the full backing of BBN.