The NBA's denying kids the right to sell their services as scores do every day in baseball and other sports (see tennis, soccer,etc.) is in-American. He and others should be free to do whatever they want to do. P.S. he'll be back.
Diallo Entering Draft... Not hiring agent
- Thread starter MWes11
- Start date
As I feared, this is already news being posted on several major news sites. If you are proud of this for Kentucky basketball I feel sorry for you. It's an embarrassment and only ads to the false perception that Kentucky is just a one and done program with no regard for college athletics. Plus, I will repeat if this kid is good enough to be drafted then he should have played and maybe we would be national champions. However, I hope and pray he does return and then much of this will be forgotten.
Why is everyone so shocked??? Half the posters on here predicted this and the other half knew it was a good possibility. If you had a chance at your dream would you pass it up????
Have felt this way for sometime. Would hope the UK basketball coach, regardless of who it is, would have as a #1 priority UK winning games/NCs and not stocking the NBA. Has to be balance somewhere/someway.
Hopefully he is not hearing this type of complaining that we see on the message boards.
For a player with NBA aspirations, there is absolutely no reason not to put your name in. You get the NBA feedback, find out where they slot you now, AND what you need to work on to move up for next year. And in the unlikely event that you are projected as a lottery pick, maybe you stay in the draft.
He is NOT a lottery pick this year, unless he goes to some tryout and simply dominates Monk (not happening).
1) this is a deep draft, although maybe not at 2G, but that is usually the position in least demand
2) next year is expected to not be nearly as good/deep a draft
3) Best case he is probably going in the last 1/4 of the first round.
4) Next year there is a good chance he could go in the lottery. That is a significant $ difference.
Can someone explain to me how he could be drafted anyway? I thought you had to be 19 & 1 yr out of HS. If he graduated in Dec, then he won't be 1 yr out of HS until next Dec.
I put this in another thread but this seems to be getting all the traffic. Cal has said on multiple occasions that 8 players will be leaving. If he is being truthful, that means that either Diallo or Bam will be returning.
Fox
Monk
Briscoe
Mulder
Willis
Hawkins
Humphries
That is 7, so either Bam or Diallo would be 8 and is staying in draft, with one of them returning. If you look at it that way, it is a positive. I still don't think Diallo is going anywhere and will be back. Smart to test waters and get feedback.
Fox
Monk
Briscoe
Mulder
Willis
Hawkins
Humphries
That is 7, so either Bam or Diallo would be 8 and is staying in draft, with one of them returning. If you look at it that way, it is a positive. I still don't think Diallo is going anywhere and will be back. Smart to test waters and get feedback.
I've never had a problem with the way we've recruited with Cal, but I'm not on board with this one. I just can't agree with a player coming in for one semester and leaving without ever playing a game. We're not the D League. The biggest issue I have is that having a player like Diallo on the roster can cause other potential recruits to look elsewhere and result in us losing out on a very good player. Did that happen this year? I have no idea and neither does anyone else. If all he wants to do is get some feedback on what he needs to come back and work on this coming season, I'm good with it. If he actually stays in the draft, I'm completely against his recruitment. I'm sure some of you are going to criticize my post. Believe me, I DO NOT CARE! I have my opinion on the issue and if you don't like it, go pound sand.
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First of all, this was the plan the whole time. It's a great thing now that players can test the waters, get feedback and see what they need to improve on. I'm sure the kid has no intention of staying in the draft, but is just wanting to see where he currently stands. That way, he will know what he needs to focus on. Enrolling early allowed him to stay ahead of the curve.
However, for his sake, I hope he is told that he is lottery and gets to live out his dream. Who am I to let my selfish ways tell someone that they shouldn't follow their dreams? That said, I expect him to get all of his questions answered and return to UK and have a great season for us next year. We as fans just need to realize that while the kids learn to love their time at UK, the NBA is now the ultimate goal (As it should be).
However, for his sake, I hope he is told that he is lottery and gets to live out his dream. Who am I to let my selfish ways tell someone that they shouldn't follow their dreams? That said, I expect him to get all of his questions answered and return to UK and have a great season for us next year. We as fans just need to realize that while the kids learn to love their time at UK, the NBA is now the ultimate goal (As it should be).
They've shown they don't care too much about the 1 year thing. They waived it for Thon Maker and someone else.
Somewhere in these 23 pages it might have been touched on but Brian Poe's perspective of Cal HAD to take him , well I'm partially on board with that line of thinking but I think Cal should have made it clear to him , YES we will welcome you with open arms to do one of two things -- you either come in and play this season and test the waters OR you come in and play next season and test the waters , this third option of coming in and reaping huge benefits from being part of the team and program while never suiting up once just doesnt cut it with me . But last time I checked the program is bigger than me and I'll cheer for whoever we run out there , but make no mistake its HARD to get fired up and take a liking to recruits and fly all the country in support of the team when stuff like this happens . If that makes a bad fan or yet another troll then OK . I'll still sleep fine tonight. None and done just doesnt cut it with me .
I'm surprised the people complaining about Diallo aren't elated at the possibility of replacing him with a shooter. Seems like I read a lot on here about how Diallo's skill set is a terrible fit for Kentucky and we would be better off with someone who can just shoot it.
It's almost as if you can't please some people and they are going to complain no matter what. Weird.
It's almost as if you can't please some people and they are going to complain no matter what. Weird.
All the lamenting over this story is predictable but wrong-headed. If he goes, then he would have gone whether or not he spent the semester at UK, so Kentucky has lost nothing. If he stays, then Kentucky gains his services for a year.
And for the record, I think his presence on the team for a semester likely did have a positive impact. He was around in practice, and his presence must have made some other players at least a little better. He's an elite athlete and having to defend him and having him defend you must have some upside.
And for the record, I think his presence on the team for a semester likely did have a positive impact. He was around in practice, and his presence must have made some other players at least a little better. He's an elite athlete and having to defend him and having him defend you must have some upside.
You know, Cal always says he never promises these kids anything, but he clearly promised Diallo that he didn't have to play if he didn't want to. For those of you who continue to ignore the obvious, Diallo is gone. You don't wait til the last day if it's just a routine testing of the waters. More striking though, you don't thank your coaches and teammates if you're planning on returning.
I hope Cal has learned from this fiasco.
You make a good point,in the case of Diallo the "waters" change with each draft,so what they are like this year is not what they will be like next year.Diallo hasn't played a minute for UK so you could say if he goes we are losing nothing.
If he stays in the draft I am glad he didn't play last season if for no other reason he never intended to play here.I don't think we would have been the same team if he had played,Hawkins and Willis would not have had the ending to their UK careers that they had and we might not have gone as far as we did.
If he returns fine if he goes fine,whoever is here when they toss up the ball next season is the team I will be watching
He was in a post graduation prep school, more or less. He is 19 and his class graduated last May.
Allow me to blow up your rationalization. Diallo believes he will be a max contract player. Why wouldn't he believe that, he's been hyped nonstop for years. The money difference between being drafted, let's say, 24th as compared to 5th seems significant, but getting to the max contract a year sooner overshadows that, by a lot.
For me personally, I don't care what Diallo does. However, I'm not going to be dense to the fact why some fans are going to get upset about the whole situation. If he stays in the draft, you basically had a kid that found a way around the rules to sit 1/2 a semester and go pro leaving nothing beneficial for UK fans and the team. For people who claim UK is nothing more than a NBA farm club, Diallo is dab smack example number one.
I think Cal had to take him because he's a great player and the off chance you get him for a year is probably worth it, since there are hopefully, readily replaceable players for him if he does stay in. I just in good conscience, can't blame fans for saying they don't about Diallo and his success. If he stays in he brought literally nothing to the table for the University and I see why fans are upset. good luck to him if he stays in but for some fans, they don't have a connection for the player.
I think Cal had to take him because he's a great player and the off chance you get him for a year is probably worth it, since there are hopefully, readily replaceable players for him if he does stay in. I just in good conscience, can't blame fans for saying they don't about Diallo and his success. If he stays in he brought literally nothing to the table for the University and I see why fans are upset. good luck to him if he stays in but for some fans, they don't have a connection for the player.
[roll] I'm sorry, but this made me laugh.
Even if it is, it's an NBA farm club that wins a LOT of games, is in the hunt just about every year, and has a LOT of entertaining players. If that's not enough for some fans, oh well.
I'll agree with that and that's where I stand, but I see where the other side comes from.
I want everybody to PAY ATTENTION. I have something FRESH AND NEW to say about this.
No, actually I don't. And neither does anybody else.
There will still be 2,000 posts in it before there is anything new worth saying.
No, actually I don't. And neither does anybody else.
There will still be 2,000 posts in it before there is anything new worth saying.
That's fantastic and all if you could care less about winning titles. One and done is the way to go. One title/one & done players.
yes, and two or three newly created posts that probably should/will be merged with this one
I honestly do believe though, that this was part of the entire plan. Come in, get a jump on things and start practicing and learning the system. Declare for the draft to be evaluated and find out where your strengths and weaknesses are, come back next season, work on the suggestions - be a leader - and go into the draft for real next year.
Knowing how Cal is - I don't think it's anything more devious than that. There is no lie there, no intention to mislead. Did it also occur to anyone that there might have been another reason why Diallo sat out this semester? Maybe an academic one - Cal doesn't throw his kids under the bus, nor does he tell anyone why might be a disciplinary action. No, I have no source - just something I wondered. We really don't know - because Cal protects his players; period.
But that's just my opinion.
that I'll agree with, IF he doesn't come back (and I think he does)
and, tbh - if I'm way off base with this, and Diallo leaves? I won't be angry or anything, but I also won't consider him a former UK player. Kanter will be the only one, for me, that was, but never played a game because it wasn't HIS choice.
The hand wringers are getting a lot heat from the pumpers , will be interesting to see how the pumping goes if Ky loses 10-15 games next year . Easy to set back now and say " Cal has got this " stop worrying , but if Bamba doesnt come , I dont see a roster that is that is a huge threat in a league where you have to be 10-15 points better than the opponent to win. Wish it were different ( fair) !
A ten loss team went to the title game in 2014, so that's not necessarily a deal-breaker. Especially when you consider we are returning basically no experience at all.
Point one, his history here - a contender every year except for once when the presumptive No 1 pick in the draft was lost to injury - gives pretty good comfort as to how that will turn out. Every year we lose a game and they come out of the woodwork, and every year (but one) they are proved wrong. Nothing will change.
But, fair question - what if next year goes bad? Is Cal not allowed to have a down year? What if we go 19-12 next year and get bounced first weekend of the tournament? At that point, he'd be 9 years in, will have won 80+% of his games, will still have won more games since he got here than any other coach, will still have more tournament wins and a better tournament winning percentage than any other coach, will still have more final fours since he got here than any other coach, will still have 4 final fours and a title in 9 years. IOW, a record to be celebrated - anywhere. Is he not allowed a down year? And you know, even with that record, if we have a down year, the usual crowd will be on here crowing "I told you this system doesn't work!!"
because, you see, it's a free country we live in, and anyone can say anything they want to say - even if it makes them look stupid or uninformed or histrionic......
and GOD forbid we have a "down" year; for the standards UK has set for itself the past 8 years
I think you changed the narrative from one topic to another , but I'll play along . I'll still be a fan , I'll still be glued to set most nights when the Cats play , and I'm loyal to the Cats 100 % , I'm loyal to Cal 90% or something like that , I see UK as far bigger than Cal and all this tinkering he is doing with recruiting , some on here seem so entirely loyal to Cal they seem to put UK second in the big picture . Oh well I woke up this am hoping not to be histrionic but blew it . And some can say tinkering is a poor choice of words but our guy isnt following a script here , he is writing his own book . I truly hope it works out . So far So good.
Ok, since Rupp's 4th and last in 1958, we have had 4.
And it was 20 years between 58 and 78.
18 years between 78 and 96. We got spoiled by winning so quick in 98.
But then another 14 years between 98 and 2015.
So people need to stop acting like we win a NC every couple of years.
There is no reason to be embarrassed, that makes zero sense. UK didnt push him out.
If I had to guess, the scenario went along these lines:
Diallo and his coach both say he isnt ready this year. Cal doesnt play him. (The truth could be he didnt want to expose his flaws, and that's fine too.)
But the kicker is that he was always going to try the combine and impress enough for a high or at least 1st round pick.
Cal obviously knew the circumstances and took his chances.
Now if the kid is 2nd round or lower and still leaves, I'd think Cal would not be happy.
Who knows.
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