Hamidou Diallo to Test Waters (UPDATE: DIALLO TO RETURN TO UK)

[J.Jennings]

Okay? Then why talk about it?

My feelings about this situation have been very clear, too. Doesn't mean I can't take an objective look at what he's doing.

Because if someone like Terrance Jones is having a hard time keeping and finding a job, then why Diallo think he's entitled and doesn't have to earn his stripes?


In all reality, i blame Cal on this. If Cal isn't real enough to tell him what's really up and what's at stake, then so be it. Perhaps he isn't as good as he thinks and maybe Cal would rather not deal with him anyways, who knows?

[J.Jennings]

Young's probably looking at a career overseas when this is all said and done. He might get a 10-day option with another team, but I could easily see that leading to a D-League demotion and eventual contract in Croatia.

And that sucks because honestly, i am a James Young fan, loved him at Kentucky. If he can hook up with a team and get some clock for a year it would be good, he will either sink or swim, i just have a feeling that Boston is tired of waiting on him.....

[George]

Because if someone like Terrance Jones is having a hard time keeping and finding a job, then why Diallo think he's entitled and doesn't have to earn his stripes?

Why do you assume it's entitlement? It could just as easily be, "Oh my God, these guys are stupid enough to give me a job without asking for so much as an audition!"

I don't like this situation one bit for UK, but I don't blame Diallo one bit. If someone offered me a book deal without ever reading a word of my writing, you better believe I'd take it.

[George]

And that sucks because honestly, i am a James Young fan, loved him at Kentucky. If he can hook up with a team and get some clock for a year it would be good, he will either sink or swim, i just have a feeling that Boston is tired of waiting on him.....

I thought Young fell well short of the hype during his one year at Kentucky. All I remember is one nasty dunk and a whole lot of bad defense and passing.

[Joneslab]

I don't think there was a ton of hype about him. He was a top ten-ish player. Averaged 14 or 15 a game. That's probably what one would expect to happen.

Didn't jump out as a one-and-done but clearly there was some interest in him. Played it probably like he should have. I don't think he under- or over-performed. He just was. He was Trey Lyles.

He just didn't have the "OMG this guy is going to be great" feel for me that some of these other guys have. His struggles don't surprise me.

[J.Jennings]

Why do you assume it's entitlement? It could just as easily be, "Oh my God, these guys are stupid enough to give me a job without asking for so much as an audition!"

I don't like this situation one bit for UK, but I don't blame Diallo one bit. If someone offered me a book deal without ever reading a word of my writing, you better believe I'd take it.

But that's the problem now. If he doesn't choose to compete in these 5 on 5's which he isn't , he could very easily shy some teams away and not get drafted at all. Either way, he can play college ball and have a great time being around young men his age or he can choose a D league/Overseas route with older men who don't give damn about Diallo and he's well being, they all trying to make it........

[J.Jennings]

I don't think there was a ton of hype about him. He was a top ten-ish player. Averaged 14 or 15 a game. That's probably what one would expect to happen.

Didn't jump out as a one-and-done but clearly there was some interest in him. Played it probably like he should have. I don't think he under- or over-performed. He just was. He was Trey Lyles.

He just didn't have the "OMG this guy is going to be great" feel for me that some of these other guys have. His struggles don't surprise me.

I like Trey Lyles and i can't see how he's been a failure when he's still young and developing. His NBA career numbers are not bad for his 16 minutes per game and if your looking for a modern day big man who can dribble, shoot, do a little bit of everything, Trey Lyles is your guy.

[Joneslab]

I like Trey Lyles and i can't see how he's been a failure when he's still young and developing. His NBA career numbers are not bad for his 16 minutes per game and if your looking for a modern day big man who can dribble, shoot, do a little bit of everything, Trey Lyles is your guy.

I didn't say he was a failure, only pointing out that when he was in college I wasn't in awe of his game or anything.

Kentucky's had eight or ten guys who were clearly going to be beasts at the next level. Put those guys anywhere, on any team, and they'd excel. Had some other guys who you could tell were pros, but they needed work and were going to have to find the right situation. James Young is in that group. He hasn't found the right situation.

[Dwight Schrute]

Because if someone like Terrance Jones is having a hard time keeping and finding a job, then why Diallo think he's entitled and doesn't have to earn his stripes?


In all reality, i blame Cal on this. If Cal isn't real enough to tell him what's really up and what's at stake, then so be it. Perhaps he isn't as good as he thinks and maybe Cal would rather not deal with him anyways, who knows?

If you're in the NBA, you've earned your stripes.

[Joneslab]

Fran Fraschilla tells Jerry Tipton that Diallo "held his own" against Fultz and Dennis Smith at the Steph Curry Camp two years ago.

Also says that Diallo is like "the pitcher that throws 99 miles per hour." How good he is now isn't the point; you want players like that locked up for down the road.

[George]

I didn't say he was a failure, only pointing out that when he was in college I wasn't in awe of his game or anything.

Kentucky's had eight or ten guys who were clearly going to be beasts at the next level. Put those guys anywhere, on any team, and they'd excel. Had some other guys who you could tell were pros, but they needed work and were going to have to find the right situation. James Young is in that group. He hasn't found the right situation.

I wouldn't say I was in awe of Lyles' game, but I was much more impressed with him than I was Young. Lyles wasn't flashy, but the skill was evident. He had a very efficient, multi-faceted style that would serve a lot of teams well.

[Joneslab]

Young had this weird thing he would do where he would play poorly against average teams, but he'd turn it on against good teams.

20 points in the national championship game. 17 in the Final Four. Averaged over 20 a game against a solid LSU team. 19 against Michigan State early in the season.

I liked him but he's another in a long line of Calipari players who, if he would've come along 20 years ago, we would have gotten to know and really like because we could have watched his game evolve.

[Matt Dillon]

It's also a very clear sign that he wants to go pro now. If he were in this solely for feedback, he'd get out there and play so that the scouts could critique his game and he'd know what to work on for next year.

Exactly correct.

[Matt Dillon]

If someone offered me a book deal without ever reading a word of my writing, you better believe I'd take it.

Same here.

[J.Jennings]

I didn't say he was a failure, only pointing out that when he was in college I wasn't in awe of his game or anything.

Kentucky's had eight or ten guys who were clearly going to be beasts at the next level. Put those guys anywhere, on any team, and they'd excel. Had some other guys who you could tell were pros, but they needed work and were going to have to find the right situation. James Young is in that group. He hasn't found the right situation.

I like him at Kentucky, just felt he didn't get the opportunities to show more simply because he had others around him better...