Former Kentucky star dominating China’s basketball league

Hamidou Diallo has always been a "the sky is the roof" sort of player. His potential continues to lead the way for him, and it sometimes shows up in amazing bursts. He was one of the top players coming out of high school and played only one year for the Kentucky Wildcats before the Brooklyn Nets drafted him 45th overall. Before he ever became a Net, he was traded to the Charlotte Hornets, who traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He struggled to produce consistently at the NBA level. His biggest claim to fame during his stints in the NBA was his win in the 2019 Dunk Contest during All-Star week. When his NBA career struggled, he found his way to the CBA, the Chinese Basketball Association. 2024 is his first year in the CBA, playing for the Shanxi Loongs, and he's tearing it up.

He started making a name for himself immediately in his debut, and it didn't stop there. He is turning into a human highlight reel in China.

The above post says (according to X translate), "This foreign player's physical fitness and playing style are similar to Edwards! // Breakthrough layup and nearly buzzer beater! Diallo 46 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists | Shanxi 107-105 Guangsha |"

He has already won two Player of the Week awards in the CBA and is 14th in points per game at 22. As he continues to string together huge nights like the ones mentioned above, he turns more heads. An Oklahoma City Thunder site on SI.com is even starting to wonder if his time to return to the NBA will come again after how well he is doing in China.

"With impressive play overseas, Diallo could still find his way back to the NBA. With elite athleticism and positional versatility, he’s a consistent jumpshot away from being a regular rotation guy in the league. If his first week in China is any indication, though, he might not be spending too much time away from the NBA."

Ross Lovelace, SI.com

Good for Diallo, hopefully that NBA return is not far behind his early success in the CBA.