Jacobs Article on Diallo

[Lefty2one]

Good grief the PSA coach let it all hang out. Sounds like he's ready to move on...

The most immediate question, even more immediate than his draft status, is where does Diallo's game stand right now? What does he most have to work on?

"Consistently making shots," Espinosa said. "His strength is when the game is up and down in the open court. When you get in the half court, slow the game down, that's when Hamidou struggles. With us, A. he'd take bad shots. B. he'd miss a lot of shots.

"It's also maturity on the court. People ask me what are you going to do without Hamidou? We've been playing without Hamidou for the last two years. He has been in my doghouse at times. Discipline issues, he hasn't played. He has been in foul trouble a lot, missed half the game. We're used to playing without him. We are going to be fine."

"Hamidou is a freak athlete," Espinosa said. "Gifts God gave him, not many people have. But at the same time, there's a lot of guys who are 6-5, 6-6 who are athletic who can't shoot. He has got to separate himself. He has taken too many days off, especially this fall with us, not getting better. He has so many tools, but he has to get so much better, work harder every day and be mentally tougher."

Diallo's thinking evidently is he'll work out diligently at Kentucky and practice with elite college talent to improve. Yet at this point in the season, with so many games filling the schedule, how hard can a team go at it in practice through March?

"I told him the bottom line is how you perform on the court at Kentucky [in games]," Espinosa said. "That's when you get evaluated. They're going to be competing for a national championship. They're going to be busy playing. So he has got to want to do it himself.

"He's passing up 25 games with us to 'work on his game.' That was my big argument. We do skill work during the day. Our gym is open all the time. To be honest with you, we were disappointed with him in that regard. He told us he didn't want to lift during the season, because it would mess up his shot. He wasn't in the gym enough."

A non-shooter refusing to lift weights because it'd mess up his shot? Yeesh...

 

[gtcam]

I doubt that Daniel Orton was the only obstacle in his way to make the NBA, otherwise he could have been invited to try out for another team or play through the d league to get another shot.

I know nothing about the Orton situation but do know some Magic were pissed when they had to let him go - he was their final cut
I do know that Sticks did strike a chord with D Howard and that he was given a spot on the D League team but had some real issues with injuries when he started there and that's all she wrote.
I used to talk to him in Madison when he spent time with JC down there

 

[gtcam]

Whats sticks up to these days?

Last I heard he was playing in Chile (I know he did in 2015-2016) but indicated he might not return there

 

[aceboon]

I doubt that Daniel Orton was the only obstacle in his way to make the NBA, otherwise he could have been invited to try out for another team or play through the d league to get another shot.

Robinson was on Houston's DLeague affiliate when he tore his achilles tendon right before he was about to get called up.

 

[mauconnfan]

Stanley Robinson was a freak athlete who wasnt a great consistent shooter and yes had some other off the court issues, but could never put it together for the next level.

Stanley was a solid player at UConn doubt Hami was getting there in a year and a half to be honest. I'd kill for Stanley this year!

 

[methodology]

Whats sticks up to these days?

He was playing in Chile and DR. Had an offer to play in Japan but went to it believe uruguay played 1 game scored 22 points and some disagreement with the coach led to him not playing at all a few games after so he left the team and went home. Not sure of his next move

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Robinson was on Houston's DLeague affiliate when he tore his achilles tendon right before he was about to get called up.

Recently?

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

I know Sticks very well Orton is the only reason he got cut. Stan van gundy cried while cutting him saying he deserved the spot over Orton but they couldn't do it because Orton his roster spot guaranteed. He went to the dleague and got injured right before he was going to be called up and subsequently waived by rio grande Valley because of his injury.

You honestly don't know what you're talking about regarding his career

i know bill gates really well

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

If you were here more than twenty minutes you would have known his reference. There was some poster who claimed Stanley had only average athleticism. There was no way to convince this person otherwise.

BigErn is sarcastically referencing that individual.

at least i know the 20 minutes reference

 

[aceboon]

Recently?

nah this was before he started bouncing around in different countries, might have been his 2nd year I believe. He suffered another Achilles tendon injury after that.

 

[upstater]

I'd like to think you are right when hoping for improvement in the off season. Thought Jalen would have been more improved, but Jackson and Vital have the basics already. I'd like a knock down 3 point shooter added.

Jalen looks great to me. His numbers look good too. He has improved a lot, I'd say.

 

[ctchamps]

Jalen looks great to me. His numbers look good too. He has improved a lot, I'd say.

He still makes far too many turnovers at this stage, but you can see the wheels spinning and he's looking to get team mates involved. He's got the tools so the execution will improve. The Alterique injury does offer the silver lining that Jalen is getting a lot of time being the primary handler and that should help Alterique next season. Kind of similar to Bazz and Boatright.

 

[upstater]

He still makes far too many turnovers at this stage, but you can see the wheels spinning and he's looking to get team mates involved. He's got the tools so the execution will improve. The Alterique injury does offer the silver lining that Jalen is getting a lot of time being the primary handler and that should help Alterique next season. Kind of similar to Bazz and Boatright.

Yes, agreed. We were talking specifically about shooting though.

 

[ctchamps]

Yes, agreed. We were talking specifically about shooting though.

Missed that.

Actually like that the kid can make the long two. Gottlieb made a point of it. It's a lost art as he stated. The three has made the greatest impact recently, but a pg that can penetrate should have the stop and pop to his game. Really opens up the game for assists and the reduction in turnovers.

The Jalen that played in Maui hasn't been there recently. Probably a combo of concussion set back and fatigue. The Jalen that we observed in Maui was similar to the junior Kemba.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

Yea, I don't agree with this at all. The idea that Hamidou "can't shoot" feels like an overstatement. He's not a great shooter, but he's a better athlete with much better measurables than Purvis. Maybe he never becomes a good shooter and maybe he never has a long pro career, but he can affect the game in a lot of ways with his current skillset.

Purvis was extremely athletic, although perhaps not on Hami's level. Although scouting reports said he had better handles coming out of high school than Hami... But truth is we'll see what happens when he hits the floor. Again, at a place like UK, he probably wont even have to shoot the ball that much if they have other shooters. He can spend his time slashing and catching alley oops, playing to his strengths (provided UK has some quality shooters on the team). We'll see how things pan out, either way im interested in seeing what he can do at the college level. I know we all view Purvis rather poorly now, but Pruvis was a pretty big recruit coming out of high school himself. If Hami doesnt develop a jump shot though, i dont think the comparison is that far off.

 

[pnow15]

I'd like you to have the awareness necessary to realize everyone already knows 3 point shooting is important, or better yet, to have the ability to understand that Ollie is already recruiting guys at the 2/3 that have reputations as good shooters.

Sadly, both of these are beyond you.

Is actually putting the ball in the hole part of this reputation? Cause I've seen more airballs this season than in the last ten combined. I think Ollie has been more worried about guys ability to move up and down the floor and play defense. Jackson has been the only guy who was recruited for his shooting and he has not done that well. He must have missed out on his other recruits. Purvis, Adams, Larrier, Vital, DHam, Diallo(Kt) are not knock down three point shooters. As far as I can tell that makes one: Jackson with the slow release. Sadly, there seems to be two realities: yours vs. the losing season for lack of 3 point shooting.

 

[boog204]

The Hami/Gerald Green comp might be the best one I've seen. I've never seen Diallo play, but every stat on the circuit basically showed he was a very mediocre shooter. Pretty sure the big summer tour had him at 19% from 3 on a lot of attempts. So many of the things his coach very honestly (never seen a coach burn a player like that) seems totally accurate. I obviously would have loved to have Diallo, but there are certainly some red flags in his game and many times guys like him are fairly average college players who end up being very good pros by the time they are in the mid 20s.

 

[7774]

Sadly, there seems to be two realities: yours vs. the losing season for lack of 3 point shooting.

Yes, out of the 2 of us, I'm sure the person who thinks there have been more airballs this year than in the prior ten years is the one with an accurate grasp of reality.

BTW, Vital's rep was absolutely as a shooter, Gibbs was brought in as a shooter last year, and Gilbert was a very good three point shooter in high school games. You omitted Gibbs and Gilbert from your list of players, but given your memory of airballs, I'll just assume you forgot they were on the team.

 

[intlzncster]

Funny, but the story reported by people with actual first hand knowledge made no mention of that.

Not that knowledge matters to you.

Which is what? I missed it.

 

[BlueDogs]

"After the sudden burst of optimism among UConn fans shortly before Christmas when word broke that Diallo, a postgraduate, was looking to attend college second semester, the cold slap of reality hit. Let's be real. How often in recent memory has UConn beaten out Kentucky for the biggest national hotshots that it wanted badly?"

Well, the last time I checked, how many NCs has UConn won (4) in the last 20 years compared to Kentucky (3)? I feel badly for the time our staff put into this clown. No good deed goes unpunished as they say. Sounds like the kid has some character, maturity and work ethic issues any way...plus he's not a great shot. UConn has always out determined its opponents and finds ways to win. Down year, but we'll be fine.

 

[pnow15]

Yes, out of the 2 of us, I'm sure the person who thinks there have been more airballs this year than in the prior ten years is the one with an accurate grasp of reality.

BTW, Vital's rep was absolutely as a shooter, Gibbs was brought in as a shooter last year, and Gilbert was a very good three point shooter in high school games. You omitted Gibbs and Gilbert from your list of players, but given your memory of airballs, I'll just assume you forgot they were on the team.

I'll give you Gibbs, the court is out on Gilbert.