Would Dioubate Have Been Your Choice for UK's PF?

[HipTer]

He definitely would not have been mine last offseason. If you would have asked me (nobody would) I would have never wanted a Dioubate type as UK’s PF. He’s not a perimeter threat. He’s also not a guy you’re too excited about getting to the FT line. In fact, the form on his perimeter and FT shots makes you think luck is the only way it goes in. He’s not big enough to post up Power conference PFs or you would think rebound against them. Just not the type of PF I would have wanted at all. And yet . . .

When I now think about lineups I wish UK could have put together for this season I have a hard time not including Dioubate in them. I don’t much like clichés, but the “Warrior” one actually fits Dioubate. Whatever deficiencies he might have, he just plays the game in such a hard-nosed, scrapping, fighting, energetic way that I think impacts winning too much to not want him in the game all the time.

I still think Dioubate fits best in a lineup with at least a couple of really good perimeter shooters on the floor with him – which UK really can’t provide – but he’s certainly reminded me that there are different ways to play winning basketball.

 

[UKSanders]

Yeah, I feel the same way. I think he would be at his best as either a 3 or 4 with the opposite position being a shooter.

Against Bellarmine, he was the one who finally shut Karasinski down. I feel like he can be the MKG for this team…long/strong/quick enough to guard 1-4 pretty well. Maybe not elite quick point guards or longer PFs, but just about everyone else.

 

[Jort's Fastball]

Yaxel was the guy

 

[Smeegs]

Wouldn’t the answer to your question depend upon what our realistic options were? No, Mo obviously wouldn’t be my first choice if a young Dirk Nowitzki had been available in the portal, but that wasn’t an option.

We certainly pursued some other PF options (like Yaxel), we just didn’t land them.

What better PF do you think we could’ve had, but declined to take?

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Dioubate is a beast. He's not our problem.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Yeah, I feel the same way. I think he would be at his best as either a 3 or 4 with the opposite position being a shooter.

Against Bellarmine, he was the one who finally shut Karasinski down. I feel like he can be the MKG for this team…long/strong/quick enough to guard 1-4 pretty well. Maybe not elite quick point guards or longer PFs, but just about everyone else.

I like the MKG comparison.

It's not always about making shots. Just watch him on the court. He plays with infectious energy and toughness that is lacking from a lot of the roster. He makes everyone better. He is an ELITE SEC-type player that is gonna help us the most in tough away games in places like South Carolina and Arkansas.
I'd be giving him 30 minutes a game.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Now that Williams has found his stroke and Quaintance is good to go, Dioubate can fit very nicely in a starting line up of Lowe, Oweh, Williams, Dioubate, and Quaintance.

How many minutes have we seen that line-up together all season? Ten? Fewer? I'll wait until we see how that line-up functions before I call Dioubate a miss. Work Moreno and Garrison into that front court, and Aberdeen and Johnson into the backcourt, with Chandler, Jelavic and Noah getting spot minutes, and the team should start to click. We are literally just now seeing what this team was supposed to be. Obviously, the Cats need to be lucky with Lowe's health for three months. We'll see.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

Now that Williams has found his stroke and Quaintance is good to go, Dioubate can fit very nicely in a starting line up of Lowe, Oweh, Williams, Dioubate, and Quaintance.

How many minutes have we seen that line-up together all season? Ten? Fewer? I'll wait until we see how that line-up functions before I call Dioubate a miss. Work Moreno and Garrison into that front court, and Aberdeen and Johnson into the backcourt, with Chandler, Jelavic and Noah getting spot minutes, and the team should start to click. We are literally just now seeing what this team was supposed to be. Obviously, the Cats need to be lucky with Lowe's health for three months. We'll see.

Agree 100%. THAT is the lineup. No reason to be playing 12 guys a game.

 

[Runnin'Ramel]

UK missed on a few others. They wanted to build around Yaxel, he just opted for Michigan.

 

[gonefishin]

Yaxel, Steinbach or Wilson would be my preference

 

[UKWildcats1987]

He's the best option after the other guys rejected us.

 

[akaukswoosh]

He was a very nice catch. We needed a physical player and he brought something important others didn’t- Final Four experience.

 

[KyKevin]

Most of us want a Porsche, but have to settle for a Volkswagen. It's all about how it fits in the garage
Our Porsche is just getting started, and Mo D, and the rest of the team will be better in time.Be patient.
If our choice really made a difference, most of us wouldn't let you trollers and Debbie fkn downers post.

 

[Aike]

I always wanted him. Also wanted a stretch 4, which we didn’t exactly get. Why I favor sliding Kam over to the 4 when Mo is on the bench .

 

[CatBearPig]

Mo was a great bench big. Like he was at Alabama.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Mouhamed Dioubate is a perfect example of something I keep trying to tell people:

There is more than one way to use analytics. Pope didn’t figure that gem into the mix randomly — he considered all factors before deciding to add him. Do I like Mo at the four? No, I freaking LOVE Mo at the four. Mo might be my favorite player on this team —- and when he makes a few more of his threes by the end of the year and his percentage is hovering around 33-34 percent and people realize he is the heart and soul of the team, people will lay off and understand the vision a little better. MO’s don’t grow on trees and he makes me proud to be a Wildcat fan — I bet you Pope absolutely loves getting to coach him.


(Yes, I am aware his shot is ugly. Yea, I am aware he shot good on small volume last year. I trust he ends up around 33-34 percent from three and by the end of the year is keeping defenses honest.)

 

[JPFisher]

Dioubate is on a team with three point threats including

Chandler
Oweh (36% the last five games and 56% in the last three)
Williams
Johnson
Aberdeen (36% on the season)
Noah (if he ever starts hitting them)

I'm okay with getting an energy guy whose thing is defense and effort.

2011 had Liggins
2012 had MKG

Two of my favorite players of all time because I never had any doubt they gave 100% each game.

MoD outrebounded every IU player by himself at least once during the game. Would Yaxel have been a better fit? Sure. Would it be nice to have another year of Andrew Carr? For sure.

I like MoD, though. Might not have been my first choice, but that by no means detracts from how much I love having him on the team.

 

[Cats3x]

Most of us want a Porsche, but have to settle for a Volkswagen. It's all about how it fits in the garage
Our Porsche is just getting started, and Mo D, and the rest of the team will be better in time.Be patient.
If our choice really made a difference, most of us wouldn't let you trollers and Debbie fkn downers post.

And you cant have 5 Porsches. When the shite hits the fan, its almost always a redneck with a pickup truck that gets things done.

Mo D is a badazz pickup truck.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

I always wanted him. Also wanted a stretch 4, which we didn’t exactly get. Why I favor sliding Kam over to the 4 when Mo is on the bench .

Kams fine as a stretch 4 if the guards around him are good enough to warrant it. They aren’t. The strength of this team is size and length. That means Kam is best suited on the wing. That also means Pope has to change his approach. He has, as we saw in the STJ game. Less traditional zoom and more high-low actions on offense. Also saw a bit of a 1-2-2 3/4 court D. Both were good wrinkles given the personnel. As long as Lowe stays healthy, that approach will work.

 

[KyKevin]

And you cant have 5 Porsches. When the shite hits the fan, its almost always a redneck with a pickup truck that gets things done.

Mo D is a badazz pickup truck.

100%
I love this team.
Go cats

 

[Anon1759768907]

wilson wouldve been the better choice and is probably the thing that wouldve taken us from a swee 16 team to a final 4 team

 

[UKCowboys]

Some of these threads lower the collective IQ of BBN

 

[HipTer]

Wouldn’t the answer to your question depend upon what our realistic options were? No, Mo obviously wouldn’t be my first choice if a young Dirk Nowitzki had been available in the portal, but that wasn’t an option.

We certainly pursued some other PF options (like Yaxel), we just didn’t land them.

What better PF do you think we could’ve had, but declined to take?

I don't think you quite understood the tenor of my post. I'm complimenting Dioubate - highly! - while acknowledging my own ignorance. I didn't ask a question.

 

[UK4Life#9]

I personally wanted Yaxel and another one I wanted bad but at a different position is Wilkerson.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

I personally wanted Yaxel and another one I wanted bad but at a different position is Wilkerson.

I’m not sure if we would be any better with LW. Yeah I said it. I think most of the people fans are heartbroken over wouldn’t have made a huge difference for us — maybe Caleb Wilson but I’m not personally of the mind that FOR US Wilson would lap Dioubate (yeah I know I’m catching **** for this.) However, Yaxel is a different story. Yaxel can give you the defense, rebounding and effort of a Mo, but he also has guards skills, a 40% 3pt shot and passes like a guard. Yaxel is the one that got away —- unfortunately, I don’t know how much we committed to going all-in on him. He was 50-50 to go NBA and we would have had to wait until the end of portal season for him to make a decision. Michigan took the gamble and won the sweepstakes there —- good for them.

 

[Anon1751335390]

I always wanted him. Also wanted a stretch 4, which we didn’t exactly get. Why I favor sliding Kam over to the 4 when Mo is on the bench .

Yeah.

Folguieras was someone I wanted to fill that role.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Yeah.

Folguieras was someone I wanted to fill that role.

I would have too, but AF is average 4 reb per game for Iowa

 

[Vek96]

He seems to be playing better now. I still don’t completely trust him in close games.

We need to get Chandler going again. He’s been struggling lately. Honestly, he just isn’t getting enough shots off. He’s the kind of player that the more shots he gets up, the likelier he gets red hot at some point during the game. Just hasn’t had enough attempts lately.

 

[HipTer]

Yeah.

Folguieras was someone I wanted to fill that role.

I was a Folgueiras proponent too. Maybe another example of me being wrong, but he’s been pretty good for Iowa, especially as a volume 3pt. shooter. I thought he’d rebound a little better than 4 rebs/gm, but then again he only averages playing 19 min/gm. I still would like to have Folgueiras as part of a PF tandem for UK. I hoped Jelavic would be a very good perimeter shooting PF while still being able to rebound respectfully, and he still might turn out even better than Folgueiras but he’s hasn’t gotten there yet.

 

[UK4Life#9]

I’m not sure if we would be any better with LW. Yeah I said it. I think most of the people fans are heartbroken over wouldn’t have made a huge difference for us — maybe Caleb Wilson but I’m not personally of the mind that FOR US Wilson would lap Dioubate (yeah I know I’m catching **** for this.) However, Yaxel is a different story. Yaxel can give you the defense, rebounding and effort of a Mo, but he also has guards skills, a 40% 3pt shot and passes like a guard. Yaxel is the one that got away —- unfortunately, I don’t know how much we committed to going all-in on him. He was 50-50 to go NBA and we would have had to wait until the end of portal season for him to make a decision. Michigan took the gamble and won the sweepstakes there —- good for them.

Idk what it was, but I felt like LW would have killed it here. I know he had a couple good games so far but the bed against us, I’m just going off what I wanted in the off season.

 

[Kyhoward1]

Mo is the 2025 version of Chuck Hayes, suits me just fine

 

[kyjeff1]

He definitely would have been in my top 5. We got punked all year last year. Mo D is the perfect remedy for that and he is an absolute beast on defense and the glass.
We have a 4 that can shoot (Kam), so if it's shooting that we need, Pope can put Kam in the game, but Mo checks off a lot of boxes that didn't get checked off last year.

 

[BlueSince92]

I absolutely love Mo Dioubate.

He is great for us and will be.

But he just is not and will not be as great for us as Yaxel Lederburg would have been, a guy who is shooting 80% from two and 40% from three right now, still grabbing 7 boards a game and most importantly averaging roughly 4 assists a game to only roughly 1 turnover , which would have let us carve teams up with zoom action, especially if Pope had closed the deal with any of his first-choice sniper-type guards——which would have been a great way for us to mitigate Lowe’s health issues.

And Pope knew all that, which was why he went after Yaxel first.

One more reason you simply cannot miss on all your first-choice recruits and be really set up to succeed at this level. And one more reason it’s a shame the way we spent 22 million dollars this past cycle, especially since we will probably never have that much to spend again. We absolutely had the money to get Yaxel plus even more similar-quality players at other positions that we didn’t really get, all while still not spending more than 22 million dollars and at worst having to make some choices like maybe let’s not pay big money for players we don’t even have room for and will need to redshirt. It’s all a problem this head coach and staff have to fix yesterday if there is any way forward for us as an authentic relevant blue blood.

In the meantime Mo Dioubate is using his strength and heart and will and savvy to help us make the very best out of a not great situation, and I am grateful for that. Great guy.

 

[KentuckyMildCats]

i think he could fit into any teams lineup in the nation, everyone wants a guy who just plays all out, high motor all the time.

 

[Anon1751335390]

I was a Folgueiras proponent too. Maybe another example of me being wrong, but he’s been pretty good for Iowa, especially as a volume 3pt. shooter. I thought he’d rebound a little better than 4 rebs/gm, but then again he only averages playing 19 min/gm. I still would like to have Folgueiras as part of a PF tandem for UK. I hoped Jelavic would be a very good perimeter shooting PF while still being able to rebound respectfully, and he still might turn out even better than Folgueiras but he’s hasn’t gotten there yet.

I think Folgueiras would be a nice piece on this team, but I’m sure we would all be howling about some issues he has defending.

In the end, I’m happy Dioubate is on the team. He has played well and I like watching him play.

 

[storm1507]

Mo is the 2025 version of Chuck Hayes, suits me just fine

I've been thinking lately that Mo reminds me of a little taller James Lee. That was way back in my early fan days so can't remember all the little details about Lee.

But, after that rebound against all 5 Indiana players I'll take him every year.

 

[megablue]

Except for 3pt and FT shooting, pretty good stats:

Mouhamed Dioubate College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Mouhamed Dioubate - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

 

[UKCowboys]

Except for 3pt and FT shooting, pretty good stats:

Mouhamed Dioubate College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Mouhamed Dioubate - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

And he defends

 

[UKCowboys]

I absolutely love Mo Dioubate.

He is great for us and will be.

But he just is not and will not be as great for us as Yaxel Lederburg would have been, a guy who is shooting 80% from two and 40% from three right now, still grabbing 7 boards a game and most importantly averaging roughly 4 assists a game to only roughly 1 turnover , which would have let us carve teams up with zoom action, especially if Pope had closed the deal with any of his first-choice sniper-type guards——which would have been a great way for us to mitigate Lowe’s health issues.

And Pope knew all that, which was why he went after Yaxel first.

One more reason you simply cannot miss on all your first-choice recruits and be really set up to succeed at this level. And one more reason it’s a shame the way we spent 22 million dollars this past cycle, especially since we will probably never have that much to spend again. We absolutely had the money to get Yaxel plus even more similar-quality players at other positions that we didn’t really get, all while still not spending more than 22 million dollars and at worst having to make some choices like maybe let’s not pay big money for players we don’t even have room for and will need to redshirt. It’s all a problem this head coach and staff have to fix yesterday if there is any way forward for us as an authentic relevant blue blood.

In the meantime Mo Dioubate is using his strength and heart and will and savvy to help us make the very best out of a not great situation, and I am grateful for that. Great guy.

Their per 40 minute averages are virtually identical. Yaxel shoots the three better, Mo is a better defender. Mo has a great motor, is a great kid, and chose to wear Kentucky Blue. I couldn't give a squirt about Lederburg or if he might have been slightly better

 

[storm1507]

Their per 40 minute averages are virtually identical. Yaxel shoots the three better, Mo is a better defender. Mo has a great motor, is a great kid, and chose to wear Kentucky Blue. I couldn't give a squirt about Lederburg or if he might have been slightly better

Great point. He chose us! That is way more important than a few % points on 3 pt shots, etc.