Hamidou Diallo drafted by Nets in 2018 NBA Draft, then traded to Hornets

UPDATE

Diallo has now be traded to the Thunder.

Hamidou Diallo has been drafted by the Brooklyn Nets with the 45th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He was then traded to the Charlotte Hornets, where he’ll team up with Malik Monk and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

Diallo had a very unusual path to the NBA. He committed to Kentucky and moved up into the 2016 class halfway through the season, electing to redshirt for the second semester.

He came very close to never playing a game for Kentucky, as he put his name into the draft in 2017 and reportedly would have been drafted by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round had he stayed in. Either they didn’t give him a guarantee before he withdrew from the draft, or he wanted to get drafted higher, but either way Diallo returned to Kentucky.

Diallo was fourth in scoring for Kentucky this year, averaging an even 10 points per game. He was widely projected as a second-round pick in this year’s draft, with most projections having him in the 34-40 range. In the end it probably cost him money to come back, as he would’ve been a first-round pick if he hadn’t ever played a game in Kentucky blue.

But nonetheless, he got another year of experience that got him here. And he certainly had his high points this year. His season was highlighted by a 20-point, five-rebound performance against the Virginia Tech Hokies, and a 22-point, eight-rebound, two-block performance against the Buffalo Bulls in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. That was his defining game this season, and gave him a lot of national attention.

Best of luck to Hami in the pros!

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