Recruiting is like weather in Kentucky. If you don’t like it, wait five minutes and it’s probably changed.
That’s the case with Hamidou Diallo. One minute, it looks like he’s a done deal to UConn with plans on entering the 2017 NBA Draft.
Now, it looks like UK may not only land him, but keep him for the 2017-18 college season as well. That’s what 247 Sports’ Jerry Meyer is hearing, and his latest report bodes very well for UK’s chances of landing the five-star guard.
However, it’s no guarantee that Diallo is cleared by the NCAA in time to play in games this season, but it should not prevent him from enrolling at either UK or UConn.
It is practically a foregone conclusion that Diallo will enroll in a college at for the second semester. He wants to play right away and not sit out, but he has not been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse yet and it is not a certainty that he will be cleared in time. So there is the possibility of training with a team during the second half of the season but not participating in games. His desire, however, is to play right away.
247Sports is also hearing that Diallo is leaning towards the assumption that he needs a year and a half of college to be ready for the NBA. This belief that he is shooting for the 2018 NBA Draft is why Kentucky is surging in the Crystal Ball.
At this point, prior to a possible Arizona visit, the difference between choosing Connecticut or Kentucky primarily comes down to what year Diallo wants to enter the draft. If he wants to enter the draft in 2016 and is cleared to play this coming semester, then UConn is the likely choice. If Diallo wants to wait till the 2018 draft, then Kentucky is the likely destination.
We should hear a decision by Jan. 11, the final day for enrollment at UK for the spring semester. in the meantime, enjoy some highlights of Diallo: