Will Hamidou Diallo Become College Basketball's First Semester-And-Done Player?

In the summer of 2015, I walked into a Las Vegas gym during the last college basketball recruiting period of July, and the NY Rens, an AAU team, was warming up. Nothing extraordinary, just potential recruits showcasing themselves for fans and coaches.

And then I saw Hamidou Diallo.

Just 16 years old at the time, the slender, 6-foot-5 Diallo put on a dizzying dunking display. Taking off from what looked like more than 10 feet from the hoop, he would float through the air like Zach LaVine—only to detonate at the rim like LeBron James. That just doesn't happen very often, not even among the game's top talents.

Two years later, Diallo has become one of the most fascinating prospects in college basketball—and one of the most unique. After graduating from a Connecticut prep academy in 2016, Diallo could have finished his spring semester playing against other high schoolers before joining a college team in the fall. Instead, he has enrolled at Kentucky and already is working out with the Wildcats, using a scholarship the program has held open for the year.

Diallo is eligible to play immediately, but the current plan is for him to use this spring as a redshirt season while preparing to play next year. That is, unless Diallo, who will turn 19 at the end of July, declares himself eligible for the upcoming NBA Draft.

In other words, Diallo—considered one of the highest-ceiling players in the 2017 college recruiting class and a top professional prospect—has a major choice to make.

"I would say we're just playing it by ear," Diallo recently said on Evan Daniels The Sidelines podcast. "We don't want to rush into things. I don't just want to get in there, put on a Kentucky jersey, and play. Just trying to protect me as much as possible. I'm going to have to get used to things. Just getting used to the college game. That's the biggest thing of why I would sit out this year.

"But right now, we're just playing it by ear. Trying to see what happens in these next four months."

In football, top high school recruits often enroll early with their college programs. In basketball, the same practice is becoming more commonplace. Over the last year, NC State's Dennis Smith and Auburn's Austin Wiley, both decided to start their campus careers early.

Thing is, Smith was still recovering from a knee injury when he did so, while Wiley, by virtue of being born in 1999, wasn't eligible for the NBA Draft anyway. Diallo is different. He could essentially pioneer a "semester-and-done" approach to college hoops, whether or not he ever plays in a game for Kentucky. And that makes his situation unprecedented.

Should Diallo jump to the NBA as soon as possible? Well, with smallball becoming increasingly popular, the league is starved for long, athletic wing players. Diallo fits the bill. He has a 6-foot-10 wingspan and a high-level motor, which puts him in the conversation for the best NBA wing prospect in the 2017 college recruiting class.

Moreover, the upcoming NBA Draft class isn't particularly deep at that position: beyond Josh Jackson and 'tweener forwards Jayson Tatum and Jonathan Isaac, no one on the perimeter truly excites scouts. It would be easy for a team to fall in love with Diallo's long-term potential and consider him a worthwhile first-round pick. Leaving Kentucky extra early would allow Diallo to start the clock on his rookie-scale contract, limit injury risk, and avoid being placed under a microscope while suiting up for the Wildcats.

On the other hand, it's difficult to determine where in the first round Diallo would be picked—or if he would be picked at all. Despite his physical gifts, the Queens, New York native is a major work in progress. He has a great first step and is very quick, but not very shifty off the dribble. He was an accomplished high school scorer, but his passing and jump shooting both need work. His frame looks like it will fill out nicely; right now, he's a skinny 190 pounds. If Diallo makes the NBA leap, he likely would spend most of next season in the D-League, honing his skills while probably making over $1 million. But it's also not the easiest life.

Among NBA scouts, Diallo's status varies wildly. Some see him as a legitimate lottery talent, the sort of player teams want to get in their systems sooner rather than later. Others view him as a second-round pick, because he probably won't be able to contribute immediately. One league executive told VICE Sports that because NBA decision makers haven't had to deal with incoming high school players since the implementation of the one-and-done rule, some are scared of the possibility—there are fewer data points to consider versus a player who has spent a season on campus.

In some ways, Diallo is reminiscent of Thon Maker, an athletic high school mystery box of a forward who ended up being the No. 10 selection in the (somewhat weak) 2016 Draft. It only takes one team to tall in love. The 2017 Draft is considered to be much stronger, which could also affect Diallo's ultimate decision.

For now, Diallo is challenging himself to get better by practicing against Kentucky players like Malik Monk, De'Aaron Fox, and Isaiah Briscoe every day. Also, the program's weight program should help him continue to develop his body, while being around an elite developmental staff likely will help his growth.

"He's here for the right reasons, to become his best version, and he knows that it's a process and you can't skip steps," Kentucky assistant coach Joel Justus told SECCountry. "And sitting and watching and learning is a big part of that. Hami is an extremely bright, inquisitive young man, and I think these next couple months are going to be critical for his development and being the best that he can be."

For Kentucky, helping Diallo is a no-brainer. If he ends up deciding to go pro, no big deal. The school had an available scholarship, and coach John Calipari will get credit not only for helping develop yet another NBA player, but also for "innovating" a new development strategy.

Meanwhile, if Diallo stays in school, the Wildcats will enjoy an elite player being all the more ready for college basketball when he first suits up next season. Also, there's the added benefit that if an unexpected injury happens this season—say, Monk goes down—Diallo is around as a "break glass in case of emergency" option. (After Fox injured his ankle last weekend, Calipari insisted that he would play his son, a walk-on, before Diallo). Even if Kentucky stays healthy, it's not completely out of the question that the Wildcats could break him out as a secret March weapon; in fact, the team could use a wing athlete who's taller than 6-foot-3.

For now, however, that's just speculation. Current indicators are that Diallo will sit out this spring, and then play for Kentucky next season. But you never know. His story worth tracking, because when he finally does make his debut—in Lexington or elsewhere—everyone will get to see that special talent that left my jaw on the floor just 18 months ago.

Want to read more stories like this from VICE Sports? Subscribe to our daily newsletter.