Fran Fraschilla on Diallo: "I don’t think there’s any question a team will take him in the first round"

The NBA Combine starts Tuesday in Chicago, and for Hamidou Diallo, the feedback he receives will likely determine whether or not he stays in the draft or comes back to Kentucky. As we learned earlier this week, Diallo will participate in 5-on-5 drills, giving scouts from all 30 teams their first look at his game since he played in high school. Adam Zagoria had ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla on his 4 Quarters Podcast, and Fraschilla said he doesn’t think there’s any question that a team will draft Diallo in the first round. 

“I would not be surprised myself if his combination of athleticism and skill opens some eyes, and then he’ll have a tough decision,” Fraschilla said. “Do you want to be the 25th pick in this year’s Draft, or do you want to have a chance to maybe be a top-10 pick after your freshman year? I don’t think there’s any question a team will take him in the first round, based on just his age, his size for a guard and that crazy combination of skill and athleticism.”

As of now, Draft Express still has Diallo going 36th, so the sixth pick in the second round, but all of the mocks will change drastically after next week’s combine. Until then, a hypothetical: Would you take a first round guarantee, like Fraschilla said, or risk coming back in hopes of becoming a top 10 pick?

[ZagsBlog]