CHICAGO — Cheick Diallo hasn’t yet signed with an agent but says he will “probably” remain in the NBA Draft, and the former Kansas big man helped himself with a big-time performance on Thursday at the NBA Draft Combine.
“Well, I’m not 100 percent right now, I’m still thinking,” Diallo, who spent one year at Kansas following his time at Our Savior New American on Long Island and with the PSA Cardinals AAU program, said here Thursday. “Probably yes, I’m going but I’m not 100 percent yet.”
Diallo is currently projected as the No. 32 pick by DraftExpress.com, but the way he played on Thursday certainly could help his stock.
The 6-foot-9 native of Mali went for 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting with 4 rebounds and 4 blocks in 22 minutes in front of a Who’s Who of NBA decision-makers including Larry Bird, Danny Ainge and Jerry West.
“Today I was playing really good,” he said. “I got some rebounds, I blocked some shots, yeah.”
DraftExpress.com included Diallo among its list of “most impressive performances“:
“Diallo showcased his strengths and weaknesses quite vividly, being able to have a very productive game on both ends of the floor, and even finding ways to score despite his somewhat unpolished skill-level.
“Diallo’s trademark high energy level was on full display throughout, as he ran the floor extremely hard and covered ground much more effectively than most players his size are able to. He was especially impressive on defense, where he blocked four shots in 22 minutes and was scrapping and hustling non-stop, diving on the floor for loose balls and flying around constantly.”
Diallo was hampered by an NCAA penalty at Kansas for additional benefits that turned out to be worth $165. He had to sit out five games and didn’t begin playing until Dec. 1. He had a limited role all season while playing behind more experienced bigs like Perry Ellis, Landen Lucas and Jamari Traylor.
He averaged just 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 7.5 minutes per game. He did not play at all in Kansas’ last three NCAA Tournament games.
“The NCAA suspend me for 3-4 months so I come in late, nothing I can do, I was behind everybody,” he said. “I cannot help the team. Sometimes I play 3-4 minutes in the game but I’m a team player, I don’t get mad, I’m happy for my team every time.”
He added: “If it’s not NCAA stuff, if NCAA didn’t suspend me, definitely I play more….I was behind everybody. I just come in late, nothing I can do. I was not mad at the coach. Not mad at anybody, Just keep working hard every day.”
“Cheick was a guy and he still will be moving forward, his best ball and his potential is very high,” Kansas coach Bill Self told me last month. “So these NBA teams, they’re not going to draft a guy based on how he looks at age 19. They’re going to draft him based on how they think he’ll look at age 22, 23, 24. and Cheick has done nothing to dampen that. His ceiling’s still the same, he’s just so young in learning the game.”
Despite his experience at Kansas, Diallo encouraged other players, including 7-foot, 275-pound big man Udoka Azubuike, a native of Nigeria, to come to Kansas, too. Azubuike signed earlier this month.
“Basically, I’m not selfish, I do things for Kansas,” Diallo said. “I’m not going to say, ‘Bro, don’t come here.’ I’m not going to say that. He’s asking me. I say, “Kansas is nice.’ If he committed, fan love you, coach love you. My time here is totally different. It’s NCAA stuff. It’s totally different. I’m not gonna make you go. If you really like Kansas, commit, I’m not going to force you to do it.”
Diallo has met here with nine teams entering Friday — including Golden State and Dallas on Thursday and the Nets and Philadelphia among others on Wednesday.
On Friday, he was slated to meet with the Knicks, Boston, Toronto and Utah.
“I’m looking for somebody to pick me,” he said. “I just keep working hard, if somebody like me.”
Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter
NCheick Diallo hasn’t yet signed with an agent but says he will “probably” remain in the NBA Draft, and the former Kansas big man helped himself with a big-time performance on Thursday at the NBA Draft Combine.
