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

[J.Jennings]

I'm not upset over this for the simple reason there's nothing I can do about it. I do feel he's interested in much more than an evaluation. If someone tells him what he wants to hear, then I'd say he's gone. If not, he'll be back. Either way life goes on.

So John Calipari has coached NBA ball including some really great talent while he was there. He has also been lucky enough to coach some really great talent including Rose,Wall, Davis, etc.

His own evaluation and opinion isn't good enough for a player like Diallo?????? What does that say about his coaching?

[J.Jennings]

Clearly it is a smarter decision to go to college for one year. There's only a handful of Brandon Jennings and Mudiay examples. There's hundreds of kids that got drafted after one year in college.

Ferguson this year......

I guess it just depends on what school you choose in college. If anyone actually thinks there are not fringe benefits involved either directly or indirectly, they are flat out crazy... It actually does pay for some to come to college. As you say, live like a KING for a year ......

[teamchemistry15]

Yep...it is what it is....I just wish he would have played now

I don't think it's as easy as people think to just come in and play right now. He came in December. It probably took him a good month or longer to get into playing shape and learn the offense. That's the middle or end of January. What good could it have done to play for two months? He could've gone out there and showed he wasn't ready or gone out there and showed he was. If he shows he isn't ready he might have hurt the team. If he showed he was he DEFINITELY would be gone. Then people complain even more. It could've screwed up the important teamchemistry. There's no doubt in my mind it was the best decision for all involved to not play. The NBA drafts on potential. If he performs well at the combine he has a chance at going high. I am sure Giles wishes he didn't play this year although his circumstances are different.

[J.Jennings]

I don't think it's as easy as people think to just come in and play right now. He came in December. It probably took him a good month or longer to get into playing shape and learn the offense. That's the middle or end of January. What good could it have done to play for two months? He could've gone out there and showed he wasn't ready or gone out there and showed he was. If he shows he isn't ready he might have hurt the team. If he showed he was he DEFINITELY would be gone. Then people complain even more. It could've screwed up the important teamchemistry. There's no doubt in my mind it was the best decision for all involved to not play. The NBA drafts on potential. If he performs well at the combine he has a chance at going high. I am sure Giles wishes he didn't play this year although his circumstances are different.

1. Bruce Pearl did it this year.

2. What offense?? AAU up and down the floor?


My opinion, he should have played, we could have used another true scorer this year. A championship this year would have been much more important than him playing for us next year. If he's really that good and now leaving for the NBA, should have playerd him.

Again, Kentucky fans lose, it's never about us, always about the new flavor of the month...

[J.Jennings]

It is what it is, i think i would rather have the kid from Pittsburg anyways, more experience......

[Dwight Schrute]

I will say, if the Coach Cal era were a TV show, Diallo leaving for the NBA having never played a game would be the moment the show jumped the shark.

[teamchemistry15]

1. Bruce Pearl did it this year.

2. What offense?? AAU up and down the floor?


My opinion, he should have played, we could have used another true scorer this year. A championship this year would have been much more important than him playing for us next year. If he's really that good and now leaving for the NBA, should have playerd him.

Again, Kentucky fans lose, it's never about us, always about the new flavor of the month...

You are comparing the team/situation/players in front of him/depth of Auburn to what Kentucky had this year? I'm done.

[lilproUK98]

WOW, lol this thread has spiraled into the twilight zone. Make it stop!!!

[J.Jennings]

You are comparing the team/situation/players in front of him/depth of Auburn to what Kentucky had this year? I'm done.

I am comparing the fact that JOHN CALIPARI is employed by the University of Kentucky to win basketball games and do what is best for Kentucky and it's fans, he's paid MILLIONS of dollars a year. However, John has his own private business running and it's all about his prestige and resume of saying HE PUTS KIDS IN THE NBA and nothing else matters.


NEWSFLASH,,,,,

Wall, Davis, Towns, Monk, Fox, Cousins, Bledsoe, Booker, Rose, Evans, Randle, Murray, Knight, etc. etc, etc... NBA PLAYERS FROM THE START, DOESN'T MATTER WHO OR WHERE THEY PLAYED, WAS GOING TO THE NBA REGARDLESS.

[J.Jennings]

WOW, lol this thread has spiraled into the twilight zone. Make it stop!!!

NOT AT ALL, TIRED OF THE BS,,, WIN A DAMN TITLE OR GET YOUR #### DOWN THE ROAD SO KENTUCKY CAN HIRE SOMEBODY WHO CAN, PLAIN AND SIMPLE....

THEY THOUGHT FLORIDA BASKETBALL WAS ALL DOOM AND GLOOM, SET BACK 50 YEARS WHEN DONOVAN LEFT, LOOK AT EM NOW!!!

[J.Jennings]

Who knows, another coach we may actually start getting some calls in a basketball game when it counts, who knows???

[KCKUKFan]

Who needs college, just go overseas and get paid, come back a year later....


Tubby Smith 1, Calipari1 and i hated Tubby Smith......

Now it's yes sir no sir MR and MRS or i'll crack my whip and i'll leave for the NBA, don't question me or challenge me, i am bigger than this thing here called Kentucky basketball, it cannot survive without me, it will crash and fall harder than ROME if i leave,, don't ever question my authority or the way i do things.. If you do what i say, i may get you another Championship in 10 years but it's a big maybe, do exactly as i say.......

Nobody has said anything about this.

Kentucky basketball will survive with or without Cal and with or without Hamidou Diallo. It doesn't change the fact that Cal has won a title, been in another championship game, been to four Final Fours, and six Elite Eights. Not to mention the quality of kids he recruits. And the quality basketball has consistently been a blast. The NCAA tournament is a hard thing to win, which is why we've only done it eight times in our program's history. The only thing you can ask for is to be there in the hunt at the end, and Cal has had us in the position every single year except for the one where our best player went out with a torn ACL.

If you want to complain about these results, because the one and done culture hurts your delicate sensibilities as a longtime fan, then that's on you. We get the Monks and Davises and Towns because of this very Diallo situation. As a fan, I won't pretend that it's not frustrating, but it doesn't bother me only because, like you noted, I understand that Kentucky basketball will go on and be successful with or without him. Begrudging him his lifelong dream isn't fair.

As for going overseas, I wouldn't complain if some did that. Some kids already do it. Most don't, because their game is displayed on a bigger platform and easier for scouts to observe in college in the U.S.

If people want to complain about John Calipari's tenure simply because they don't like the one-and-done culture, then that's their issue. The rest of us can continue to enjoy an awesome product on the court, as well as being the "cool" program in college basketball.

Also: in Diallo's case, I don't really think it's about going to play in the NBA at this very moment. I think it's about getting feedback on where he currently stands and what he needs to work on at UK next year. People need to calm down.

[J.Jennings]

You are comparing the team/situation/players in front of him/depth of Auburn to what Kentucky had this year? I'm done.

Im done too, Cal can make all this go away by simply winning a few more titles, plain and simple......

[teamchemistry15]

I am comparing the fact that JOHN CALIPARI is employed by the University of Kentucky to win basketball games and do what is best for Kentucky and it's fans, he's paid MILLIONS of dollars a year. However, John has his own private business running and it's all about his prestige and resume of saying HE PUTS KIDS IN THE NBA and nothing else matters.


NEWSFLASH,,,,,

Wall, Davis, Towns, Monk, Fox, Cousins, Bledsoe, Booker, Rose, Evans, Randle, Murray, Knight, etc. etc, etc... NBA PLAYERS FROM THE START, DOESN'T MATTER WHO OR WHERE THEY PLAYED, WAS GOING TO THE NBA REGARDLESS.

No one is saying they wouldn't have gone pro. Calipari gets those kind of players here. If he wasn't here some or most of them would've gone somewhere else. He gets those players and he wins a bunch of games. He gets paid millions of dollars to do what's best for the program. That is get the best players in the uniform and make a run at a title. He has done that in six of the eight years he has been here. Name a coach in the country that could've done more at UK in the eight years he has been here than Cal.

[KCKUKFan]

Who knows, another coach we may actually start getting some calls in a basketball game when it counts, who knows???

Or we could go back to being an also-ran again like we were for the decade-plus before Cal got here. Be careful what you wish for, sir.

Let's fight for guys like Konner Tucker and Morakinyo Williams again. We can keep them for four years.