SG Hamidou Diallo (UConn Offer)

[David 76]

We need 4 guards. If, say Adams, gets injured you are starting Gilbert and Cassell with no back up. Then imagine Gilbert is in foul trouble.
There is a difference between what a team can cope with in an emergency and how you design your team. Of course you want 4 guards. You have 13 scholarships. Why would you use 3 for 2 positions and 10 for the other 3? Some will say positionless basketball. But you need people that can take the ball up the court. We saw that last year when we had guards that could not handle the ball.

 

[Candyman]

It's not dramatic when your entire depth chart at guard is theoretically Adams, Gilbert, and Cassell. Hopefully Cassell can become quality depth but that's TBD, so yes, while they could split PG duties, you still have only two high-level talents and one is an undersized freshman. If he doesn't make the transition like we all hope he will, then you potentially have one quality guard for at least a good chunk of the season while he adjusts. If he does, you're still looking at the issue of having zero depth. In an ideal world we'd get Diallo to spread that pressure or get a 5th year that is able to allow Gilbert to ease in. I feel like people really glaze over the adjustment periods of guys like Kemba, Shabazz, and Boatright when they look back at their careers. It's not a knock on them or Gilbert, it's just that this is a really freaking hard transition to make.

It seems your issue is more about lack of depth at the guard position which is much more understandable. Yes having no depth is worrisome. Especially if there's an injury. I still wouldn't say the season hinges on a 4th guard.

I understand the difficult transition but other freshman PG's have done it and led their teams to a title or final four.

 

[HuskyCLT]

We need 4 guards. If, say Adams, gets injured you are starting Gilbert and Cassell with no back up. Then imagine Gilbert is in foul trouble.
There is a difference between what a team can cope with in an emergency and how you design your team. Of course you want 4 guards. You have 13 scholarships. Why would you use 3 for 2 positions and 10 for the other 3? Some will say positionless basketball. But you need people that can take the ball up the court. We saw that last year when we had guards that could not handle the ball.

I do agree. I'm sure we're looking to get someone there, whether it be soon or in the spring. To be clear, I think we need the 4th guard for depth, not for lack of talent. It's certainly tough building the roster with all the unknowns that exist in Rodney/DHam/Brimah. Although it seems like Diallo isn't going to reclass to '16, I'll keep my fingers crossed that he does or that we can get another nice grad transfer situation at SG.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

It seems your issue is more about lack of depth at the guard position which is much more understandable. Yes having no depth is worrisome. Especially if there's an injury. I still wouldn't say the season hinges on a 4th guard.

I understand the difficult transition but other freshman PG's have done it and led their teams to a title or final four.

Yes the issue is with a lack of depth but calling it a 4th guard is totally misrepresenting what I'm saying. In a perfect world (at least until shown otherwise) Cassell should be a fourth guard and you'd have an additional guy that the coaches would feel comfortable starting in case of injury or (and this is the issue with putting everything on Gilbert) the transition isn't smooth in the first year. If they don't add another guard, and Cassell doesn't take a big step up and Gilbert struggles (both easily within the realm of possibility), then you have one quality guard on the team. That's not a recipe for success in today's game. And again, other freshman PGs have done that but a lot of others have also really struggled in the beginning. Outside of the couple of absolute top one-and-done talents each year, you should always have strong contingencies for freshmen that are being counted on to play a significant role.

 

[fatlucy]

Diallo thread, interrupted.

 

[BUConn10]

Ordering a pizza in about 20 minutes. Any suggestions?

 

[Stainmaster]

Ordering a pizza in about 20 minutes. Any suggestions?

Bacon, jalapeños, and mac and cheese.

 

[pj]

A typical 13-player college roster has 5 guards, 3 SF, and 5 big men.

You play guards about 100 minutes per game -- including some 3-guard lineups, against small opponents or in closing time when you need ballhandlers and foul shooters. For that you need 3 quality guards who get major minutes (25-35 minutes each) and two to play minor minutes, hopefully developing as players and taking major minutes in a year or two.

Adams, Gilbert, and Diallo would be a terrific three lead guards, Cassell a good backup, but the team would still have some risk in case of injury. Adams, Gilbert, and Cassell only is not enough.

 

[gtcam]

I am concerned about what transpires this year.
KO will take care of next year on his time.

But to assume that a freshman isn't capable in handling PG duties as a freshman, in a starting or back up role, is being near sighted
I for one think JA can do it if asked

 

[Rocktheworld]

I am concerned about what transpires this year.
KO will take care of next year on his time.

But to assume that a freshman isn't capable in handling PG duties as a freshman, in a starting or back up role, is being near sighted
I for one think JA can do it if asked

We were talking about being the leader. Not just serving PG duties.

 

[mauconnfan]

You mean like Taliek Brown and Khalid El-Amin?

Let's not compare those freshman years though

 

[allday2345]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but FWIW, Borges quoted Diallo's HS coach in an article yesterday saying there's about a "one percent chance" of Diallo reclassifying at this point.....who knows though

 

[intlzncster]

Let's not compare those freshman years though

Nor those rosters hahaha

 

[ctchamps]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but FWIW, Borges quoted Diallo's HS coach in an article yesterday saying there's about a "one percent chance" of Diallo reclassifying at this point.....who knows though

"at this point" is the salient point.

 

[mauconnfan]

Nor those rosters hahaha

Rosters were very similar I believe. The eventual NC guys were still young while TB had Caron and a solid core of vets.

 

[intlzncster]

Rosters were very similar I believe. The eventual NC guys were still young while TB had Caron and a solid core of vets.

Come on mau, one year removed from the best UCONN team ever? VS a team one year removed from topping out in the Elite Eight? Experience is fine, talent is better. That 98 team would have absolutely pasted the 01 team.

So Hamilton > Fr Butler
So Freeman / Jr R Jones/ Jr Klaiber > Jr Selvie/ Sr Saunders / Jr Deng
Jr Ricky Moore / Sr Hardnett / Fr Mouring approx < Sr Mouring / Jr Robertson / So Cox
So Voskhul / So Wane > Sr Wane / So J Brown
and of course
Fr El Amin > Fr Brown

 

[CONNnation]

Noticed that alterique Gilbert followed hamidou on Twitter, just thought I'd share with everyone

 

[Hoophound]

The high school coach is often last to know when a kid reclassifies. I'm pretty sure there are many cases where the kid decides to move on when the coach thinks he is staying put. Andre comes to mind.

 

[CallMeBruce]

The high school coach is often last to know when a kid reclassifies. I'm pretty sure there are many cases where the kid decides to move on when the coach thinks he is staying put. Andre comes to mind.

I've completely stopped putting stock into what these kids say publicly. Diallo's going to reclassify if it's in his best interest to classify, provided that the reports of him graduating at the end of the year are true.

 

[superjohn]

I've completely stopped putting stock into what these kids say publicly. Diallo's going to reclassify if it's in his best interest to classify, provided that the reports of him graduating at the end of the year are true.

Bingo

 

[huskiesouth]

I've completely stopped putting stock into what these kids say publicly. Diallo's going to reclassify if it's in his best interest to classify, provided that the reports of him graduating at the end of the year are true.

Yup.

Hopefully he and some (responsible) adults will evaluate his age, maturity, size, growth status and NBA potential and decide whether another year away from the $$$ is in his best interests - all about the $$$ (surprise).

 

[Fishy]

The high school coach is often last to know when a kid reclassifies. I'm pretty sure there are many cases where the kid decides to move on when the coach thinks he is staying put. Andre comes to mind.

No, he won't be.

It's a small prep school and the head basketball coach will be very aware of where his kids stand academically.

I don't think the kid is reclassifying, but speculating about it is really a waste of time until the spring semester.

 

[Hoophound]

No, he won't be. It's a small prep school and the head basketball coach will be very aware of where his kids stand academically. I don't think the kid is reclassifying, but speculating about it is really a waste of time until the spring semester.

Ah, I was under the impression that he is good to go academically but needs to decide whether he wants to play another year of prep ball or not.

 

[Skies17]

Highlights from preseason scrimmage

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Noticed a few 247 picks, including Myers', switched to Kentucky on Diallo. Have we heard anything recently indicating why the switch? Or just random noise?