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Draft Profile: Cheick Diallo May Be A Sleeper

If the Hawks choose to look for a big man with the 21st pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, then one possibility, if available, could be Cheick Diallo from the University of Kansas. On a deep Jayhawks roster, Diallo played 7.5 minutes per game in his one season in Kansas while averaging 3.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 blocks.

The 19-year-old from Mali stood 6-foot-9 in shoes and weighed 219 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine in May.

To find out more about the Diallo, Hawks.com spoke to Chris Stone (@cstonehoops), who covers college basketball for Rush the Court and the NBA draft for Upside & Motor, part of the HP Basketball Network. 

What does Cheick do well?

Diallo's best attributes are his ability to protect the rim and rebound on both ends of the floor. He played in just 202 minutes at Kansas, so it's a very small sample, but he averaged 4.6 blocks per 40 minutes during his freshman season. According to DraftExpress' stats database, that's the highest mark among college prospects in the 2016 draft. He has a nearly 7-foot-5 wingspan and moves decently well to get in position to challenge shots. Diallo also delivered on the glass, collecting 13.5 rebounds per 40 minutes. His 27.0 percent defensive rebound rate ranks near the top of the class. He plays with a great motor and can run the floor well in transition where he's capable of finishing above the rim despite not having a refined offensive game. 

How does his game translate to the NBA?

Diallo should benefit from the more free-flowing nature of the NBA. At Kansas, he was operating in a pretty strict high-low offense that demands versatility from its power forwards and a strong low post game from its centers. Diallo doesn't really fit the mold of either of those archetypes. While he's flashed the occasional mid-range jumper, he doesn't have much of a face up game and his post moves on the block are in the early stages of development. Diallo should benefit from the frequency of pick-and-roll actions in the NBA where his effort rolling to the rim will be rewarded more. 

Defensively, Diallo should translate well despite being slightly undersized. His lengthy wingspan should make up for some of his height deficit and there are few players who are willing to compete with as much energy.  

What can he do to improve?

Diallo has quite a ways to go because he hasn't played basketball for his entire life like many of the prospects in the draft. His minimal playing time at Kansas can largely be attributed to a lack of basketball IQ, which he might be able to develop with more experience. Offensively, Diallo struggled to grasp the playbook, often disrupting actions by making the wrong move. Defensively, he was overeager, frequently chasing blocks and defending with his hands. His 7.5 fouls per 40 minutes are an unacceptable mark for an NBA rotation player. 

Diallo will probably never be an offensive focal point, but if he can refine his mid-range jumper, then at least he would be able to help provide some spacing as a smaller center. 

What style of play suits his game best?

Diallo seems most likely to thrive in an up-tempo system that allows him to get out and run the floor simply because of his motor. He'll be able to keep up with any big in the league in transition and often time would outrun the Jayhawks' guards getting down the floor. If he's given some time to develop, he could also be an effective pick-and-roll threat on offense. 

To which current or past NBA player would you compare him?

The player that I've most frequently mentioned when discussing Diallo is Toronto's Bismack Biyombo. The Raptors' big man has slightly better measurements than Diallo, but the style of play is similar and the career trajectory could follow the same path. Biyombo took several seasons to become a valuable asset, but exploded during this year's playoffs. We'll find out just how much the market values Biyombo's skill set when he hits free agency this summer, but it seems likely that he'll earn a pretty penny. If Diallo can come anywhere close to Biyombo in four years, he'd be good value in the mid-to-late first round.