Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Kentucky will track 2017 guard Hamidou Diallo. (Photo by Kelly Kline/Under Armour)
NEW YORK — Hamidou Diallo got a call from Kentucky assistant Tony Barbee two weeks ago and the Wildcats plan to follow his progress going forward.
“I just recently heard from Kentucky,” the 6-foot-5 2017 shooting guard from Putnam (CT) Woodstock Academy and the NY Jayhawks AAU program told SNY.tv on Friday at the Under Armour Elite 24 Game. “He was like, they’re very interested in me, he was going to be watching me on television and he’s going to be up to my school in September, so it should be good.
“It made me feel good, it’s something I’ve been waiting for for a little while, so it’s been alright.”
Diallo said he hopes to get a Kentucky offer and then visit the school.
“I don’t know if they’re going to offer me but if I play well I could see an offer coming my way from them.”
The Queens, N.Y. native also holds offers from Kansas, Florida, Villanova, Maryland, UConn, Providence, Louisville, N.C. State, Indiana, Iowa State, Seton Hall, VCU and UMass, among others.
In his remaining time, Diallo, who is an athletic scorer, wants to bulk up and diversify his game.
“He’s going to keep working hard, keep looking at all the schools,” Jayhawks coach Jay David said recently. “He’s stronger than he looks, he’s working on his jump shot. He’s a true combo because he runs the point for us a lot. We’re actually going to start listing him as a point guard and it changes his level a little bit. Putting him at the one will change him totally.”
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
