I really think Diallo's number one issue at this point is playing timid. It seems pretty evident that he doesn’t want to shoot and has no confidence. It's even manifest, I think, in the way he holds the ball so long on his shots near the basket that guys under 6’ can block it like it’s rec league. Diallo needs to shoot without hesitation when he’s left wide-open. He’ll make some and miss some, but UK will be much better for it in the long run. Diallo can be a much better player than he’s showing, and I think he’s in his own head at this point.
Diallo playing timid
- Thread starter HipTer
- Start date
Well. He can bring whatever game he has from the bench. His box score numbers the first few games won’t support starting or getting a lot of mins. Hope I am wrong.
The thing is he has to play. So, whether it's starting or coming off the bench he's got to figure out how to better help this team.
The weird thing to
Me is he doesn’t look timid at all. Not meaning to trash him but he just looks like a guy with very little basketball IQ and feel, and not a great skill set.
He and Wilkins just like to operate too much with the ball in their hands.
Hope that changes.
Me is he doesn’t look timid at all. Not meaning to trash him but he just looks like a guy with very little basketball IQ and feel, and not a great skill set.
He and Wilkins just like to operate too much with the ball in their hands.
Hope that changes.
He has to play 5-10 mins per game yes. He does nothing that stands out that I can see but maybe I am wrong. There is a reason Williams and Wilkins are playing all the mins in OT here.
Mason 100% should be starting over Zoom. Let Zoom get about 12-15 mins in backup role.
He's not playing timid, he's playing like he doesn't care and doesn't want to be out there.
His play has been disgraceful. At least Wilkins is chaotic and bouncy, leaving room for a potential flash of greatness. Diallo just dribbles into a TO
I think Zoom's main problem is that he isn't all that good and wouldn't even sniff a walk-on offer for a Top 10 team.
As of yet, I haven't seen him display the physical ability or toolset to penetrate. If hea going to be our pg and we're going to run a traditional offense - this is going to be a problem.
At the end of the day. No matter how we feel about the program as fans. Its still Kentucky. The lights are still bright. There's still 20,0000 fans in Rupp arena. The expectations are to win every game.
Some players aren't built for that.
Its because Pope lets him.....it is as simple as that. Different players require different motivation. Him and Moreno both need a foot in their *** to replace where their heads are.
Maybe he just isn’t that good. He was the starting PG for a team that finished below .500 last year.
He's never played winning basketball. I support our guys but I think UK could've done much better filling the PG spot.
He was already looking elsewhere before Pope upped his NIL offer after Wright played his a**.
I question how effective Diallo is going to be, but unlike some I don’t question his desire. I just don’t see a lack of effort. I hope the staff can figure out a way to use him for the best of the team. He’s a big body at the PG spot, willing passer, and has a fine handle. His pull up in the lane has historically been very good, but his release on that shot is so slow that it’s easier to block than it should be. I also think he can shoot it well enough to take those wide-open 3s without hesitation. But as I said originally, he looks timid to me in taking that shot and I think that hurts the team more than if they just lived with the results.
Again, I think he’s willing to try to do what’s asked and can help, but he needs a clearly defined directive - for example, straight drive to the rim in 3 dribbles and with the intent to either pass to the wings or go through his man (I don't think he's getting around many Guards).
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If anything he’s thinking too much and trying too hard . He’s pressing.
Only way to use zoom is find a way to get him going downhill and attack the rim. Moreno has to crash the boards. Everyone should crash the boards.
there just isnt much in his game.
- not a shooter
- not an elite athlete
- not an assist machine
- not a lock down defender
- not great at finishing around the rim
- not even a good FT shooter
Im not disagreeing. But I think he had like 6 or 7 assist tonight as bad as hes seemed. That can become his game. Find teammates open looks and become DeAndre liggins on defense. He has to find a role. He has to play.
That may be true on offense, but he isn't "trying too hard" on defense. Multiple possessions he just casually moved around the court... not in good help defensive position or stance...no urgency whatsoever.
I hope he improves and finds his place on this team. But overall, I've been very unimpressed with his play so far thru the exhibition games.
6 assists, 2 turnovers.....my question would be. do you think thats the max, avg, or floor?
I think his number one issue at this point is he sucks.
Probably the max. 6 assist a game is hard to average. Probably should try to to be a menace on defense and let the game come to him a little more on offense.
I cant really speak too much on him but seeing hes a tall guard and looks jacked I would hope he can get downhill and attack the basket. But from the little ive seen he just doesn't look that athletic.
Well his body looks like a freak athlete but he doesn't seem fast or able to jump well. Im not out on him yet but hes not impressed that's for sure.
Zoom is being outplayed by Mason & Kam is coming back soon with Hawthorne getting minutes at the 2 already too.
If & when Morton comes back Zoom will be on the shortest leash of his basketball career. I like the potential competition among the 6 guards for the 1 - 2 & 3 spots. This is the deepest team Pope has had at Ky.
If & when Morton comes back Zoom will be on the shortest leash of his basketball career. I like the potential competition among the 6 guards for the 1 - 2 & 3 spots. This is the deepest team Pope has had at Ky.
Yeah. The dude just isn't a good basketball player and should not be starting nor playing more than 12 minutes per game. Very concerning that our only steady guard is the freshman. He played more minutes than the other guards, but really he needs to play 35 per game if possible.
He has an elite NIL.
I think we will be ill watching Dedan Thomas and Quinn Ellis and others this year. Like Stokes, we let Rob Wright play us and then panicked on top of mis-scouting.
He shot almost 50 percent last year with many attempts and on a bad team. He has some offensive game we just aren't seeing that yet.
Correct. Would suck if we wasted a ton of money on a practice player but no one is obligated to give him minutes.
He’d do well to reinvent himself as a DeAndre Liggins type player. Diallo is not bad defensively. He should be an off the bench defensive spark plug. Starting point guard or lead guard will sink this season.
Thomas was injured last year and Ellis just got eligible a couple weeks ago. I wouldn't hinge my season on that if I was Pope either. Why not get 3 guys that could all be your PG and see which on wins out?
Totally agree that Liggins is a really good comp/goal for Diallo. If he could give that consistently, that would be great. The biggest thing right now is not trying to create too much...take the opportunities that are there without forcing it.
I'm still standing by my preseason thought that we will only go as far as Zoom and Wilkins can take us. Williams development and promise is the greatest thing to happen in order to be able to alter the dynamic there.
It looks to me like the teams aren't respecting his shot, midrange or deep shot. They're keying on his penetration and watching closely for the kick out.
Perhaps he can start off by getting up an early, good shot selection, within the flow of the offense (he or Wilkins have the ball!) and once that first, early shot can go in, give himself some confidence to keep shooting the good look shots and get it going.
Then, I beleive, you'll see a much more confident player and finally see him start to put it togehher, the way we need him to, the way we envisioned him to do.
On a side note : I felt that Malachi Moreno needs to be a double double machine this year, every game. We need him to put in the kind of stat line like yesterday every game. I think he can average at least 12 - 14 a game, 10 rebounds a game. We absolutely need that from him.
Just those two players alone picking the game up and staying consistent with it can allow Mom to get better looks and then we will see the b4est version of this team we got.
So I am sticking with Zoom and not getting down on him nor throwing him under the bus. Williams should, and will, get his minutes if he cannot get his game going. And Williams is a freshman, so he is going to have some bad moments, growing pains and what not.
Hopefully they get it all put together with the regular season coming up.
Go Big Blue !
It looks to me like the teams aren't respecting his shot, midrange or deep shot. They're keying on his penetration and watching closely for the kick out.
Perhaps he can start off by getting up an early, good shot selection, within the flow of the offense (he or Wilkins have the ball!) and once that first, early shot can go in, give himself some confidence to keep shooting the good look shots and get it going.
Then, I beleive, you'll see a much more confident player and finally see him start to put it togehher, the way we need him to, the way we envisioned him to do.
On a side note : I felt that Malachi Moreno needs to be a double double machine this year, every game. We need him to put in the kind of stat line like yesterday every game. I think he can average at least 12 - 14 a game, 10 rebounds a game. We absolutely need that from him.
Just those two players alone picking the game up and staying consistent with it can allow Mom to get better looks and then we will see the b4est version of this team we got.
So I am sticking with Zoom and not getting down on him nor throwing him under the bus. Williams should, and will, get his minutes if he cannot get his game going. And Williams is a freshman, so he is going to have some bad moments, growing pains and what not.
Hopefully they get it all put together with the regular season coming up.
Go Big Blue !
I’m going to say it now- Diallo will not be part of the Kentucky roster before SEC play begins.
I see a potential cancer.
I see a potential cancer.
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