BREAKING: Calipari following up with Hamidou Diallo today
(Photo by Kelly Kline/Under Armour)
We now interrupt all things football for a very important basketball recruiting update. According to our own Matt Jones, John Calipari is visiting five-star shooting guard Hamidou Diallo today, days after Diallo’s official visit to Kentucky. Diallo, who can enroll this upcoming semester, wrapped up his trip to Lexington on Wednesday:
Great Official Visit to Kentucky !!!
— Hamidou diallo (@Diallo1Hamidou) December 28, 2016
We’ve gone over this before, but if Diallo picks Kentucky over UConn and Arizona — and it appears Calipari is putting on the full court press — he will likely be here for a year and a half. Diallo can either play next semester or sit out and practice with the team and use the semester to develop his body and learn from Kentucky’s trio of guards. Diallo has already graduated high school and is eligible for the 2017 NBA Draft, and if he comes to Kentucky and really wants to go in this summer’s draft, you know Calipari won’t stop him; however, Calipari appears to be selling him on a year and a half stay in Lexington.
Diallo visits Arizona next week, but with Calipari’s visit, things seem to be trending in the Cats’ direction. Calipari is also watching fellow five-star Kevin Knox this afternoon. Stay tuned…
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Hamidou Diallo Shooting Guard | 6-5 | 195 lbs. Queens Village, NY | Putnam Science Academy AAU: New York Rens ★★★★★ |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN | No. 11 | 3 SG | Top247 | No. 9 | 1 SG | |
| Rivals | No. 10 | | Scout | No. 10 | 1 SG | |
12 Comments for BREAKING: Calipari following up with Hamidou Diallo today
You guys know WAY more than I do (I know nothing of this situation other than what I’ve read here), but I think it’s more likely that he sits out the rest of the year and goes pro in this year’s draft if he comes to UK. It’s win-win for Diallo. He gets to practice with our outstanding group of guards and gets to go to the NBA this year, which as I’ve read, is what he’s really looking to do. If he’s eligible for the draft, why would he stay another full year?
There is a good chance that he goes Pro but I think he should take advantage of the year in college. Per the scouting report, he is Malik Monk without a jump shot. Yes, getting the money now is great. And yes, he risks injury. But, having the opportunity to develop a jump shot may help in the long run.
Dude is going to the NBA THIS draft. He turns 19 in July and his initial high school class graduated last June. If he stays in school next year it will be because he wants to, not because of the CBA. You can go through your reasons however you want but those are the real cold hard facts. The kid will be at UK though this semester only if he comes here.
Did you read the post?
And by “real cold hard facts” you mean, “my worthless opinion”.
yeah, where whoever wrote this said if he came to UK he would be here a year and a half. No, if he goes anywhere he won’t be there a year and a half. If he came to UK and promised as Cal requested for him to stay a year and a half he will not be staying a year ad a half. If Cal would buy that then I have some great ocean front property in Eastern Tennessee to sell him. smh
“Diallo has already graduated high school and is eligible for the 2017 NBA Draft, and if he comes to Kentucky and really wants to go in this summer’s draft, you know Calipari won’t stop him; however, Calipari appears to be selling him on a year and a half stay in Lexington.”
The big holdup would be, can he shoot?? If he can’t shoot from outside consistently as a shooting guard which NBA teams are going to be lining up to take him in the first round? Especially with this being a loaded draft class coming up. NBA teams have gotten smarter with who they take in the first round since it’s a guaranteed contract and if Diallo is a 2nd round pick he is then a long shot to stay on an NBA team. Could be wrong but 2 guards do need to shoot even in college to get playing time.
He is still very raw to go to the NBA and I’m sure Cal will tell him that if he signs with Kentucky.
I like your take. Doesn’t make any sense for Cal to go after him for this year. Would never get any return this season.
A follow up visit this soon don’t look like he’s picking UK to me..Cal is still trying to win him over is what it says to me…And if you think Diallo wont play 20+ min this year you know very little..Mulder and Hawkins play 27mpg..most of that will go to Diallo
Then I know very little. A guy coming in to an elite program who doesn’t know the offense, defense and doesn’t have the conditioning, is a poor shooter. Not to mention getting settled in to the classroom and getting acclimated to his team mates is not going to play 20 minutes a game.