Draft Profile: Diamond Stone

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The University of Maryland made its first Sweet 16 appearance in more than a decade this season, and its frontcourt rock, Diamond Stone, was a big reason why. The bulky center was one of the highest-rated recruits in program history, and he proved his worth by providing a large, menacing presence on both ends of the court. Stone had plenty of shining moments during his lone season in College Park, including a Terrapin freshman record 39-point effort on Dec. 30 against Penn State.

Possessions Scouted from 2015-16 Season:
OFFENSE: 24.1 percent of possessions
DEFENSE: 39.9 percent of possessions

Diamond Stone is an intriguing prospect but the NBA is trending in the opposite direction of his game. He’s more nimble and skilled than Kendrick Perkins but has a similar motor and basketball IQ. He is a true big man who plays a physical brand of basketball, with power. He plays almost exclusively with his back to the basket. He has good feet and loves the baseline drop step. He’s not a leaper but has good body control and agility. Stone has a very good feel for the game. He finds open seems and reads defenses well when off the ball, as well as when the ball is in his hands. He understands offense and moving in space. He’s always ready for the ball and has good hands. He’s a willing and able screen setter. He’s an ‘intangibles’ guy who scores a bunch of junk points. He’s not a sprinter but runs the floor well and finds seems. Stone is right handed, but many of his post shots are with his left hand. His jumper is rarely used and is raw. I think he’ll extend to 10-15 feet at the very max, and his jumpers will be few and far between. He’s a good passer out of the post when he plays with patience. He has good touch on the move but not through contact; he can fix this. He’s in good shape and is oftentimes the first big man down the floor. Stone got better and better at the defensive end as the season went on. His agility and good feet translate to the defensive end. He communicates well and plays intelligent defensive basketball. He showcases good anticipation with help defense and shot blocking. He needs to be more physical before the entry pass. He also holds too long on hedges, even when the scouting report should tell him to do otherwise, allowing his man to pop for open jumpers. This is where he’s burned most, but he’s capable of improving his recovery time on pick-and-pops.

Diamond Stone was born on Feb. 10, 1997 in Milwaukee, Wis. to Cynthia Oliver-Stone and Robert Stone, who played hoops at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Stone attended Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wis. and led the program to four consecutive WIAA Division 4 state championships. During the state semifinal of his freshman season, he tallied 15 points, 15 rebounds and a state-record 14 blocks. The 14 swats smashed the division record of 11, which was established by former Celtic Greg Stiemsma in 2002. As a senior, Stone averaged 24.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, and earned Wisconsin Associated Press Player of the Year. Stone also participated on the USA U-16 Team and the 2014 USA U-17 World Championship Team. At the 2015 McDonald’s All-American game, he helped guide the East to a 20-point win with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting, three rebounds and a pair of blocks. Stone was one of the highest-rated recruits to ever commit to Maryland. Rivals ranked him No. 6 nationally for the class of 2015, and he also earned the No. 7 ranking on the ESPN 100. Stone’s only collegiate campaign was an impressive one, as he averaged 12.5 points on 56.8 percent shooting from the field, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game while playing 22.6 minutes per contest. He established the program’s freshman scoring record on Dec. 30, when he tallied 39 points against Penn State. The center shot 10-of-15 from the field, 19-of-25 from the free throw line, and added a career-high 12 rebounds for good measure. Stone nearly had a triple-double on Feb. 3 when he logged 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocks against Nebraska. During the NCAA Tournament he led Maryland to the Sweet 16 and had a 14-point effort against Hawaii in the second round. He was named Associated Press Big Ten Newcomer of the Year and was earned a spot on the conference’s All-Freshman Team. Stone declared for the NBA Draft on April 11.