2018 NBA Draft: 5 under-the-radar shooting guard prospects

3. Hamidou Diallo – Kentucky

The one-and-done cycle of college basketball has turned freshmen ball players into young superstars. They dominate draft boards, mock drafts and headlines. While Hamidou Diallo doesn’t have the upside and current talent of classmates like Michael Porter Jr. and Marvin Bagley III, he’s one of the most intriguing NBA prospects from the 2017 high school class. He also may be the toughest player to figure out.

See Diallo in person and he stands out immediately in two ways. First is his size. Diallo is 6-foot-5 and measured with a wingspan over 6-foot-11 at the NBA Combine. Depending on his foot speed against elite burst, he could theoretically guard 1-3 and be a dominant defender. The second thing you notice is his athleticism. Diallo can fly and it translates all over the floor to different parts of his game.

Now, clearly Diallo has some flaws because everything above sounds like an ideal base for an NBA shooting guard. Diallo simply cannot shoot. In 18 games in Draft Express’ database he shot poorly from both the 3-point and free-throw line. Those areas will be key to observe in college this year. However, if Diallo shows a deft finishing touch and elite defensive potential, he may come out after one year. NBA teams will want to see what kind of decision-maker he is, as well.