Hamidou Diallo Graduates

[Marat]

I would love for someone to read that to Rodney while you're standing there with your tail between your legs. This Purvis stuff is beyond tired.

Rodney is a good kid.

 

[King Husky]

This is the one thing I'll disagree on, because I agree with most of it. He doesn't owe us or the team or KO anything, no matter how much time we put in. He took his time with making his decision and ultimately it didn't benefit us

If he does choose UK I can't imagine what the reaction will be when he still goes to UConn for a weekend to visit his friends

I don't know how much of a wink and a nod he gave to Ollie, but the one part about this that really sucks is that it caused us to miss out on David Beatty. Here you have a kid ready and eager to come to UConn and be a husky, and tell him to wait because we may likely have something better. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Beatty is underrated and is going to be a heck of player. (But I'm sure he'd be better under Ollie than Frank Martin).

 

[Kembacity]

Maybe South Carolina's coach leaves and Beatty reopens recruitment...

 

[80shusky]

The Twittersphere is not real positive toward UConn with this at the moment.

 

[GemParty]

This would be Ollies first big loss. Next time a bird in hand may be better. To what degeee can your staff & available spots be held hostage. How many times did we read, all 4 coaches watching him play. A great deal of time invested.

 

[King Husky]

Maybe South Carolina's coach leaves and Beatty reopens recruitment...

I was going to ask. Is it possible for him to decommit and sign with UConn?

 

[Stainmaster]

I was going to ask. Is it possible for him to decommit and sign with UConn?

His LOI with USCe is already signed. Short of Martin leaving and the school granting him a release in March/April, that ship has sailed.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Where did this false narrative about Beatty wanting to commit come from?

 

[navery12]

I don't know how much of a wink and a nod he gave to Ollie, but the one part about this that really sucks is that it caused us to miss out on David Beatty. Here you have a kid ready and eager to come to UConn and be a husky, and tell him to wait because we may likely have something better. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Beatty is underrated and is going to be a heck of player. (But I'm sure he'd be better under Ollie than Frank Martin).

Would have loved Beatty. But I get them choosing to wait for Diallo, especially given the scholarship situation. While I'd love Beatty, I'm fine with a post-grad then AJ Reeves as well

 

[Tenspro2002]

As far as on-court outcomes, losing Diallo wouldn't be a catastrophe if he were only going to be here for half a year in a season that was over 2 games in.

Perception-wise, it would be an absolute disaster to lose a talented and hyped recruit who practically lived on the UConn campus. There is no positive spin to this.

- Signals to future top 10 guys that UConn isn't a destination for elite talent, even under the most favorable circumstances and with the staff having gone all-in
- Keeps press about UConn entirely negative for this year, instead of providing an injection of excitement and hype
- Costs us a likely NBA representative, at a time when our NBA presence is severely diminished

This would signify a real ceiling on what KO can do as a recruiter.

 

[UConn990411]

I'm not losing sleep over this dude's recruitment because losing sleep over recruits is stupid. But if the rumors are true that UConn could've have a commitment from Beatty, you do have to question the staff's decision to turn away a talented player.

Not saying they were right or wrong in being honest about where things stood at the time. But it just makes it fair to question.

 

[Matrim55]

This would be Ollies first big loss.

Nah, this is his third big loss (if it happens) and the least impactful of the three. In order:

• Abdul Malik-Abu (2014)
• Diamond Stone (2015)
• Hamidou Diallo (2017)

Malik-Abu is the glass-controlling big we've missed for years, and Stone would have been a very nice 5 to have on the court when Kansas was manhandling us last year.

Diallo would certainly help, and I hope we somehow still get him. But there are other options out there, and the long-term ramifications aren't likely to match what missing on Abu cost us.

 

[Yankees32123]

Where did this false narrative about Beatty wanting to commit come from?

Not a false narrative. In June, it was reported that Beatty was close to a decision after his visit to UConn. We were in his top 5, and he committed to a school in the fall that was not even in his top 5 after rumors swirled that we had him hold out for a decision from Diallo.

 

[AntG168]

I'm not losing sleep over this dude's recruitment because losing sleep over recruits is stupid. But if the rumors are true that UConn could've have a commitment from Beatty, you do have to question the staff's decision to turn away a talented player.

Not saying they were right or wrong in being honest about where things stood at the time. But it just makes it fair to question.

I mean if someone said they'd marry b you. Would you not stop dating?

 

[Stainmaster]

As far as on-court outcomes, losing Diallo wouldn't be a catastrophe if he were only going to be here for half a year in a season that was over 2 games in.

Perception-wise, it would be an absolute disaster to lose a talented and hyped recruit who practically lived on the UConn campus. There is no positive spin to this.

- Signals to future top 10 guys that UConn isn't a destination for elite talent, even under the most favorable circumstances and with the staff having gone all-in
- Keeps press about UConn entirely negative for this year, instead of providing an injection of excitement and hype
- Costs us a likely NBA representative, at a time when our NBA presence is severely diminished

This would signify a real ceiling on what KO can do as a recruiter.

I don't think other teenagers read into this at the level that hyper-pessimistic fans do. Additionally, I think the amount of "negative" press UConn will receive as a result of this is dwarfed by negative message board posting by you and Paesano.

 

[UConn990411]

I mean if someone said they'd marry b you. Would you not stop dating?

He hadnt even verbaled, never mind signed a LOI. Not even remotely comparable.

 

[Kenny11]

I don't like to overreact but UConn is in a situation where they really need a highly touted recruit right now. Diallo is the guy they've obviously recruited harder than anyone. This season has been an absolute nightmare, we aren't in a power 5 conference, and even during the few wins, UConn just isn't fun to watch. If the kid is souring on UConn, I can't really blame him. It would hurt though.

 

[King Husky]

I mean if someone said they'd marry b you. Would you not stop dating?

Exactly. My original comment wasn't criticizing the staff's decision, just replying to someone saying they don't blame Diallo and he owes UConn nothing, when in fact he may have screwed us on Beatty if he gave Ollie a silent commitment.

 

[uconngb]

This is the one thing I'll disagree on, because I agree with most of it. He doesn't owe us or the team or KO anything, no matter how much time we put in. He took his time with making his decision and ultimately it didn't benefit us

If he does choose UK I can't imagine what the reaction will be when he still goes to UConn for a weekend to visit his friends

I get your point. I guess what I'm referring to is the amount of time he has spent on campus, taken tickets from the team to go to games, and then apparently even giving a verbal commitment. To me, it really does seem like he led UConn down the primrose path, but that said, only the guys on the inside truly know what happened.

 

[King Husky]

I don't like to overreact but UConn is in a situation where they really need a highly touted recruit right now. Diallo is the guy they've obviously recruited harder than anyone. This season has been an absolute nightmare, we aren't in a power 5 conference, and even during the few wins, UConn just isn't fun to watch. If the kid is souring on UConn, I can't really blame him. It would hurt though.

Maybe we can get Bamba now instead

 

[AntG168]

He hadnt even verbaled, never mind signed a LOI. Not even remotely comparable.

Diallo has led the entire UCONN program to believe that he would be a husky. You don't have to believe it. But if he chooses UK he absolutely went back on his word. Kid or not KO didn't deserve that. And I'm only 22 by the way. So that "kid" excuse is so lame

 

[Dove]

I guess no celebratory Diallo shots tonight.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

And I'm only 22 by the way. So that "kid" excuse is so lame

Ha. Because you handled your recruitment differently.

 

[UConn990411]

Diallo has led the entire UCONN program to believe that he would be a husky. You don't have to believe it. But if he chooses UK he absolutely went back on his word. Kid or not KO didn't deserve that

If all of the rumors about a silent verbal are true, then you're right, it doesn't reflect well on Diallo.

But KO is the adult getting millions of dollars to make the best decisions for his program. If this dude is on your campus, hanging with the team, and going to games all the time but won't publicly commit to UConn, then it's pretty evident he isn't really committed to going there.

Certainly not to the point where you should be steering talented players in the opposite direction.

 

[AntG168]

Ha. Because you handled your recruitment differently.

No. But I do know what it means to give your word and keep it..