5 players who helped their draft stock most at the NBA Draft Combine

Hamidou Diallo, Kentucky

If you look for highlights from Hamidou Diallo’s freshman year at Kentucky, you will not find them. If you look for statistics of any kind, in fact, you will not find him. Diallo did not play last year. Eligibility issues kept him from arriving in Lexington until the winter. He practiced with the Wildcats all winter but did not play. Kentucky planned to redshirt him.

Diallo still opted to enter his name in the Draft. It was unclear whether he would stay in the Draft or return to Lexington and actually play a game in college. It was going to be interesting to see what feedback he would get from the NBA.

Diallo held up his end of the bargain. He was probably the talk of the Combine. The ESPN2 broadcasters joked Diallo left the NBA scouts wanting more, pulling out of the second day of five-on-five scrimmages after impressing in the agility drills.

Diallo recorded the second-highest max vertical leap (a vertical leap with a running start) in the Draft Combine’s history, clearing 44.5 inches. He also had the second-fastest shuttle run and the third-fastest 3/4 court run.

If there is one truth about the NBA, it is the league loves athletes. So many general managers believe they can take raw athletes and turn them into future stars. This kind of top-end athleticism always finds its way into the league. Likely drafted higher than it should be.

Diallo did not participate in anything else except for the agility drills and interviews. So he made quite the impression.

The question now is whether he feels that is enough to guarantee a spot in the NBA. DraftExpress projects he will go early in the second round. That means this strong Combine and a few strong workouts could get him into the first round with that guaranteed money.

No player helped himself more than Diallo at this year’s Combine. He is officially on the radar now.