Kentucky's Hamidou Diallo declares for NBA draft, has not hired agent
8:33 PM ET
Kentucky's Hamidou Diallo, who signed with the Wildcats less than four months ago, is entering the NBA draft without an agent.
Diallo enrolled at Kentucky in January but didn't play in a game. He would be a redshirt freshman for the 2017-18 season.
"Playing in the NBA has always been the ultimate goal for me," Diallo said in a release. "It's part of what makes Kentucky so special is that it prepares you for the next level better than anywhere else. When I decided to enroll in school in January, my plan was to come to Kentucky to work on my game and to focus on school. At the end of the season, I knew I wanted to see where I was in the draft process and go through that so I could get a proper evaluation.
"That plan hasn't changed, and that's why I am declaring for the NBA draft. I do not plan on hiring an agent at this time. I want to see where my game is and explore my options. I just want to keep all doors open, and I want to thank Coach Cal [John Calipari], the coaching staff and my teammates for allowing me to pursue my dreams."
Diallo was a five-star recruit in the ESPN 100 for 2017, but it became clear in the fall that Diallo planned on leaving high school during winter break and enrolling in college early. When Diallo signed with Kentucky over Connecticut in January, speculation grew that Diallo could opt to leave for the NBA without ever playing a college game. Because he graduated from Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut last spring, Diallo is one year removed from his high school graduation and therefore eligible for the NBA draft.
NBA scouts watched Diallo multiple times during the early part of the high school season. He struggled in front of a couple of dozen NBA personnel at the National Prep Showcase in November, but he performed well in December at the National High School Hoops Festival. If Diallo decides to stay in this year's draft, he could go in the late first round, NBA executives told ESPN.
Diallo is the sixth Kentucky player to enter the NBA draft this spring, following guards De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Isaiah Briscoe and forwards Bam Adebayo and Isaac Humphries. Of those five, Adebayo is the only one not to sign with an agent yet.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...lo-kentucky-wildcats-declares-nba-draft-agent
8:33 PM ET
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Jeff BorzelloESPN Staff Writer
Kentucky's Hamidou Diallo, who signed with the Wildcats less than four months ago, is entering the NBA draft without an agent.
Diallo enrolled at Kentucky in January but didn't play in a game. He would be a redshirt freshman for the 2017-18 season.
"Playing in the NBA has always been the ultimate goal for me," Diallo said in a release. "It's part of what makes Kentucky so special is that it prepares you for the next level better than anywhere else. When I decided to enroll in school in January, my plan was to come to Kentucky to work on my game and to focus on school. At the end of the season, I knew I wanted to see where I was in the draft process and go through that so I could get a proper evaluation.
"That plan hasn't changed, and that's why I am declaring for the NBA draft. I do not plan on hiring an agent at this time. I want to see where my game is and explore my options. I just want to keep all doors open, and I want to thank Coach Cal [John Calipari], the coaching staff and my teammates for allowing me to pursue my dreams."
Diallo was a five-star recruit in the ESPN 100 for 2017, but it became clear in the fall that Diallo planned on leaving high school during winter break and enrolling in college early. When Diallo signed with Kentucky over Connecticut in January, speculation grew that Diallo could opt to leave for the NBA without ever playing a college game. Because he graduated from Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut last spring, Diallo is one year removed from his high school graduation and therefore eligible for the NBA draft.
NBA scouts watched Diallo multiple times during the early part of the high school season. He struggled in front of a couple of dozen NBA personnel at the National Prep Showcase in November, but he performed well in December at the National High School Hoops Festival. If Diallo decides to stay in this year's draft, he could go in the late first round, NBA executives told ESPN.
Diallo is the sixth Kentucky player to enter the NBA draft this spring, following guards De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk and Isaiah Briscoe and forwards Bam Adebayo and Isaac Humphries. Of those five, Adebayo is the only one not to sign with an agent yet.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...lo-kentucky-wildcats-declares-nba-draft-agent
