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Prep Showcase: Calipari, Ollie watch five-star 2017 guard Hamidou Diallo
EVAN DANIELS
11/22/2015
Hamidou Diallo.
“I definitely noticed coach Ollie and coach Calipari out there,” Diallo, a standout at Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy, said following the game.
A day after scoring 13 points in just 16 minutes of action, Diallo, a 6-foot-5 185-pound shooting guard, scored eight points, including a pair of three, on 3-for-6 shooting in just 12 minutes of play.
“I feel I played alright,” Diallo said. “I have a couple of injuries holding me back right now, so couldn’t play to my highest level, but I played alright for the time that I’ve been out there.”
Hamidou Diallo
Putnam Science AcademyPutnam, CT
6'5" / 180 lbs
Analysis
Of all the shooting guard prospects in the 2017 class, Hamidou Diallo has as upside as anyone. At 6-foot-4, Diallo is a terrific athlete with impressive leaping ability. He moves his feet well laterally, has good length and plays hard, which all helps him on the defensive end. At this stage, Diallo is a streaky long-range shooter, but is certainly capable of hitting a streak of jumpers. He's good in space and makes play after play in transition.
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Diallo is nursing injuries to his Achilles and thumb. He classified both as minor.
“[It’s] definitely frustrating because I wanted to put on a show, but I couldn’t put on a show because I’m not 100-percent,” he added. “It is what it is, hopefully they come out to see me again and I play better.”
Connecticut has offered and targeted Diallo as one of their top recruits in the 2017 class. Diallo’s high school teammate – Mamadou Diarra – also signed with the Huskies in the 2016 class.
“It’s a great school, a great program and a great coach,” Diallo said.
“Their pitch has been basically I’d come in and be an immediate impact player,” he added.
While Kentucky hasn’t offered Diallo, the Wildcats are certainly tracking the five-star prospect.
“They run a great program,” he said about Kentucky. “Their pitch is obviously he runs an NBA clinic. They send all those guys to the NBA. That’s been his pitch to me.”
But Diallo’s interest extends much deeper than the two head coaches that showed up to see him on Sunday.
“A lot of schools have offered and a lot of schools are interested in me,” he said. “There’s been a slew of interest over the weekend. Arizona texted me, UNLV and schools like that.”
Which schools have been in to see him the most?
“The schools that came in the most this year are UConn and Providence, the closest schools,” Diallo said. “They’ve been in a lot at like 6 a.m. Some schools have come twice a day.”
To date, Diallo has taken unofficial visits to Connecticut, Providence and St. John’s. Despite the early interest, Diallo isn’t focused on recruiting yet.
“This is something that I want, but not really focused on,” he said. “I’m just focused on finishing a monster season and that comes when it comes.”
looks like an African T-Mac in those highlights
hopefully the kid continues to improve, becomes what Mudiay was supposed to be and brings an African renaissance to the NBA guard position

EVAN DANIELS
11/22/2015
Hamidou Diallo.
“I definitely noticed coach Ollie and coach Calipari out there,” Diallo, a standout at Putnam (Conn.) Science Academy, said following the game.
A day after scoring 13 points in just 16 minutes of action, Diallo, a 6-foot-5 185-pound shooting guard, scored eight points, including a pair of three, on 3-for-6 shooting in just 12 minutes of play.
“I feel I played alright,” Diallo said. “I have a couple of injuries holding me back right now, so couldn’t play to my highest level, but I played alright for the time that I’ve been out there.”

Hamidou Diallo
Putnam Science AcademyPutnam, CT
6'5" / 180 lbs
Analysis
Of all the shooting guard prospects in the 2017 class, Hamidou Diallo has as upside as anyone. At 6-foot-4, Diallo is a terrific athlete with impressive leaping ability. He moves his feet well laterally, has good length and plays hard, which all helps him on the defensive end. At this stage, Diallo is a streaky long-range shooter, but is certainly capable of hitting a streak of jumpers. He's good in space and makes play after play in transition.
CLOSE
Diallo is nursing injuries to his Achilles and thumb. He classified both as minor.
“[It’s] definitely frustrating because I wanted to put on a show, but I couldn’t put on a show because I’m not 100-percent,” he added. “It is what it is, hopefully they come out to see me again and I play better.”
Connecticut has offered and targeted Diallo as one of their top recruits in the 2017 class. Diallo’s high school teammate – Mamadou Diarra – also signed with the Huskies in the 2016 class.
“It’s a great school, a great program and a great coach,” Diallo said.
“Their pitch has been basically I’d come in and be an immediate impact player,” he added.
While Kentucky hasn’t offered Diallo, the Wildcats are certainly tracking the five-star prospect.
“They run a great program,” he said about Kentucky. “Their pitch is obviously he runs an NBA clinic. They send all those guys to the NBA. That’s been his pitch to me.”
But Diallo’s interest extends much deeper than the two head coaches that showed up to see him on Sunday.
“A lot of schools have offered and a lot of schools are interested in me,” he said. “There’s been a slew of interest over the weekend. Arizona texted me, UNLV and schools like that.”
Which schools have been in to see him the most?
“The schools that came in the most this year are UConn and Providence, the closest schools,” Diallo said. “They’ve been in a lot at like 6 a.m. Some schools have come twice a day.”
To date, Diallo has taken unofficial visits to Connecticut, Providence and St. John’s. Despite the early interest, Diallo isn’t focused on recruiting yet.
“This is something that I want, but not really focused on,” he said. “I’m just focused on finishing a monster season and that comes when it comes.”
looks like an African T-Mac in those highlights


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