Update on Diallo....
- Thread starter davis4uk
- Start date
He's sitting out to protect his perceived stock IMO.
Will hurt. Not help. All scouts expect him to be off the charts athletically. That's the worst kept secret in the world. The question was how his game would translate to the court against tougher competition, and the scouts won't be getting to see that at all.
I would be much, much more concerned if he played in the 5 vs 5, and especially if he had performed really well.
I don't think he's coming back and am just thankful we got Knox.
If your plan is to come back then what do you have to lose by playing.
I'm not sure why this would be evidence that he's returning necessarily. He may return, but protecting himself from scrutiny seems to have been his thing for quite a while now and this is just an extension of it.
There's 25 minutes of playing time on a contender if he returns and his stock should rise substantially in '18. So I don't think it's over.
For sure we can see a path to be top tier team now without Diallo. Would love to have Diallo but if it's in his interests to go I can't blame him. I don't think he will be sorry about passing up a year in Lex but he would be part of an epic team potentially with Bamba and Cam/Diallo.
I see what you're saying, but my argument to that is that we all know he's looking for a guaranteed contract whether that be 1st or 2nd round, but with him not playing 5 on 5 there's almost zero chance he goes 1st round now and highly doubt a team will give a 2nd rounder a guaranteed deal without seeing that player play live in over a year
So Diallo backs out of playing in the 5 on 5 less than 18 hours after Knox commits? Hummm, sounds like someone is coordinating this whole thing from behind the scenes.
This does not help his draft status IMO. Everyone knows his measurables and how athletic he is. Unless the guy goes out there and post a 50 inch vertical jump nobody will be surprised by any of the testing. Kinda odd for a player projected late 1st/ early 2nd round not to want to improve his standing.
The only reason to not play it seems is he has feedback he's a 1st rounder. Don't see any way he's coming back.
Like everyone else, obviously I hope that he returns. It would be fun watching a poor-man’s freshmen duo of Anderson/Mercer again, only this time in the form of Diallo/Knox.
Plus, having three guys who can play the 2/3 who are as athletic as Diallo/Knox/Vanderbilt is something very few programs have featured in the last few decades. In fact, I can’t think of many teams that featured that type of athleticism on the wing. Maybe the ’99 Duke team and the ’96 Kentucky team?
I would much rather have Knox. Any day of the week. Knox will be the leading scorer next season. He can put points in the basket and I am not sure Diallo can.
Man this board is funny
When he was playing 5v5: "sounds like he's coming back and just wants advice. First rounders don't play"
Now: "sounds like he's coming back, he sure won't be first round if he doesn't play"
Parrish tweeted out a mock yesterday that had him top 25. I hope he comes back but I'm not holding my breath.
When he was playing 5v5: "sounds like he's coming back and just wants advice. First rounders don't play"
Now: "sounds like he's coming back, he sure won't be first round if he doesn't play"
Parrish tweeted out a mock yesterday that had him top 25. I hope he comes back but I'm not holding my breath.
What you have to lose by NOT playing is a chance to convince scouts that despite not being in a meaningful game since you were a junior in high school you are ready to be in the NBA.
I really don't see NBA scouts recommending a team draft him without game action to base that on. Not playing suggests to me that he realizes he's not ready to be on the court with nine guys on the cusp of the NBA.
I don't recall a team so long and skilled as having (possibly) the following SG/SF/PF on the roster;
Diallo
JV
PJ
Knox
Gabriel
That's a lot of length and skill on the court.
This. IMO he wants to be top twenty. If he plays, and does poorly...no way. If he sits and "hopes", it could happen.
He doesn't get "the shame" of playing and getting thought of a second rounder that went back to school. Plus ... some GM could think "no way from second round to lotto pick"
Once HD opened this Pandora's box...
You say tomato ..........
It can be sliced and diced any way you want it to be.
It can be sliced and diced any way you want it to be.
I don't think it's over by any means, but my gut tells me he got good enough feedback that he canceled the 5v5 and will stay in.
I think Diallo stays, Johnson goes to Arizona and UK gets Bamba.....
He must be the real deal then. If he's drafted without playing a minute of organized basketball since high school then he must be legit.
Unless of course scouts and front office people got feedback from someone who saw him in practice everyday for a semester. That, along with his measurables, would be the only thing they have to go by. Would Cal sell Diallo to NBA execs? Really? "Don't miss on this kid. I saw him every day in practice and he's ready right now".
Would Roy do that? Probably not. But hell, Roy wins titles (plural). I know I know, the fans should care about the players first. Our fan hood lies in the success of the players.
So this kid is all in on hoping to get drafted without ever playing in any games? Kid sounds like he's terrified to be exposed and hopes he can get drafted on simply perception.
Terrified seems like a big bowl of hyperbole. This kid is doing what he's advised to do, no more, no less. IMO
Unfortunately I think you nailed it. Kind of a scary precedent to set. Don't mean to insult him because I know he's just a kid and has people in his ear, but if that's how it plays out I don't want him anyway.
For his sake I hope he is listening to the right people and not some hanger ons with their hands out for his money.
If you can't simply play a pickup game in front of scouts then you're terrified. He was afraid to play college basketball and now he's also afraid to play pickup games?
I guess he thinks high school competition and basketball drills will do.
He is testing the waters.
Has not hired an agent.
Kept things conservative and quiet.
Seems to me he's getting better advice than most do.
Or he has someone giving him advice that he trusts.
I'm not buying the terrified bit, at all.
You be you though. It's good.
Now that Cal has a true scorer in Knox on the roster then that won't fall on Diallo if he was to come back. That's not who Diallo is, he's a slasher and finisher and a great defender. Having Knox has to make coming back more appealing. Remember, Cal was telling Knox he wanted him to watch Monk because that's the role he wants him to play and he told him this while Diallo was sitting on the bench and practicing with the team and saying he was looking forward to next season. I'm not saying he's for sure coming back but I think the momentum is starting to swing that way.
I think you're right. He's got someone late first round that's going to take a shot on him and he's not trying to showcase that jumper or lack thereof and change their mind.
orrr...........MAYBE....
He knows he's a first rounder, but has always intended to come back so he's tanking it because he knows he'd be crazy to not to go if first round, and is intending to drop to the 2nd round so he can come back and not look crazy for doing so...
So, he's back no doubt about it
this post was intended to be facetious, not serious in any way
That's if you really trust what you were told. Sadly, and I do mean sadly, I'm not so sure that Cal hasn't been in on an agreement that Diallo was headed to the NBA the whole time.