Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

2018 Orlando Magic NBA Draft Preview: Second-Round targets for the Orlando Magic

By Philip Rossman-Reich

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 23: Villanova Wildcats guard Jalen Brunson (1) makes a run at the basket past West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jevon Carter (2). During the Villanova Wildcats game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at TD Garden on March 23, 2018 in Boston, MA.(Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 23: Villanova Wildcats guard Jalen Brunson (1) makes a run at the basket past West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jevon Carter (2). During the Villanova Wildcats game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at TD Garden on March 23, 2018 in Boston, MA.(Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
Hamidou Diallo, Kentucky Wildcats
LEXINGTON, KY – JANUARY 09: Hamidou Diallo #3 of the Kentucky Wildcats dunks the ball against the Texas A&M Aggies during the game at Rupp Arena on January 9, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Hamidou Diallo, Kentucky

Hamidou Diallo was the rare Kentucky Wildcats player who decided to head back to school. With all the talent they had incoming in their recruiting class that likely meant he was going to get pinched for playing time.

But he did not see the court his freshman year and his flirtation with the NBA was really a showcase of his athleticism.

His sophomore year saw him average 10.0 points per game and shoot 42.8 percent from the floor in 24.8 minutes per game. A lot of what is going with Diallo is still very raw.

Athleticism stands out though. And that creates potential.

No player may have measured athletically better at the NBA Draft Combine than Diallo. He had a 32.5-inch standing vertical leap and a 40.5-inch max vertical leap (with a running start). That rated among the top marks at the Combine.

At this point, anyone thinking of drafting Diallo is doing so solely on the potential of his athleticism. They all want to see what his athleticism can be and whether that can turn into skill.

He obviously still has a lot of work to go on the skill part of his game. His shooting needs a lot of work. His scoring comes more from the in-between game where he can use his athleticism to work around the basket and in the paint.

He is not going to come around a pin down looking to shoot. Instead, he prefers to curl into the lane and try to finish over defenders. That is not the most efficient way to operate. But he can find pockets to score there.

Next: NBA Draft Preview: Who is Moritz Wagner

Diallo likely needs a few more years of seasoning. Potentially even a stash year in the G-League. But athleticism is always hard to pass up or take a flyer on. Diallo has plenty of that.