Hamidou Diallo Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Notes: Elmore, Mock Drafts, Swanigan, Diallo

May 17th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Marshall point guard Jon Elmore has decided to withdraw his name from the 2017 draft pool and return to school for one more year, he tells Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). It’s probably a smart decision for Elmore, who had initially declared for the draft after his junior year — despite coming off an impressive season in which he averaged 20.0 PPG and 6.0 APG, Elmore isn’t viewed as a top prospect by draft experts.

Let’s round up a few more draft-related notes and updates…

In Chad Ford’s new mock draft at ESPN.com (Insider-only link), the first five picks off the board are Markelle Fultz (Celtics), Lonzo Ball (Lakers), Malik Monk (Sixers), Josh Jackson (Suns), and De’Aaron Fox (Kings).
Matt Kamalsky of DraftExpress.com also takes a look at the ramifications of Tuesday’s lottery results and makes his predictions for the first 10 picks. Kamalsky’s forecast differs a little from Ford’s, with Monk falling to the Magic at No. 6, while the Sixers take Jackson and the Suns select Jayson Tatum.
It’s a busy week for Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan, who will be working out for the Sixers and Spurs in addition to his previously-reported meetings with Indiana, Brooklyn, and Orlando (Twitter links via Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com). Swanigan has one more week before he has to make a decision on whether to remain in the draft, so he’s getting as much feedback as possible while he can.
Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo worked out for the Bulls and Bucks already this week in advance of his Thursday workout with the Nets, as Adam Zagoria details. Meanwhile, Mark Strotman of CSNChicago.com wonders if Diallo, who could still return to Kentucky, might be the splash the Bulls are seeking.
Like Swanigan and Diallo, UNC’s Tony Bradley continues to test the draft waters and has a full workout schedule before next Wednesday’s decision deadline. Per Jeff Goodman, Bradley will work out for the Lakers (Friday), Spurs (Sunday), Bucks (Tuesday), and Thunder (Wednesday) within the next week, after auditioning for New York today.

Draft Notes: Johnson, King, Thompson, Pasecniks

May 16th, 2017 at 11:05am CST by Arthur Hill

Junior guard Robert Johnson will withdraw from the draft and return to Indiana, according to Jon Rothstein of Fanrag Sports. Players who entered the draft but did not hire an agent have until May 24th to pull out and remain in school. Johnson averaged 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game with the Hoosiers this season. He was not listed among the top 100 prospects by DraftExpress and would have been a long shot to be taken this year.

There’s more draft news on lottery day:

Colorado’s George King will also return to school next season, Rothstein reports. He averaged 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds as a junior. Stephen Thompson Jr. is heading back to Oregon State, Rothstein adds. The sophomore guard put up 16.3 points and 3.0 assists this season. Both were outside the DraftExpress top 100.
Anzejs Pasecniks could be the next young Latvian star in New York, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The Nets reportedly have interest in the 21-year-old, who was considered to be a similar prospect to Kristaps Porzingis when they were growing up. At 7’2″, Pasecniks would fill a need at backup center for Brooklyn, which holds the 22nd and 27th picks in next month’s draft. “I don’t want to say he’s Porzingis, but he’s a reasonable facsimile,” said international draft expert Fran Fraschilla of ESPN. “I don’t want to give the impression he’s unathletic, because he’s not. He gives you length, he gives you shooting, he can protect the rim a little bit.”
The Bucks will work out six players today, according to a tweet from the team. Scheduled to participate are Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo, Georgetown’s L.J. Peak, SMU’s Sterling Brown, Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes, Utah State’s Jalen Moore and Louisville’s Deng Adel.
North Carolina center Tony Bradley will participate in a workout with the Knicks on Wednesday, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com.
The Lakers have four players coming in for a workout on Thursday, tweets Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com. Participants will be Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett, UCLA’s Isaac Hamilton, Michigan’s Zak Irvin and Miami’s Davon Reed.
The Ringer has issued a draft guide ranking the top 60 players available. Markelle Fultz is the site’s top pick, followed by Josh Jackson, Lonzo Ball and Malik Monk as a surprise in the No. 4 slot. Seven guards are likely to be taken in the lottery, writes Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer in a separate piece.

Draft Notes: Diallo, Swanigan, Lakers, Jackson

May 15th, 2017 at 10:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hamidou Diallo’s decision to pass on playing 5-on-5 games at the Draft Combine may have actually helped his stock, Adam Zagoria of the New York Times reports. Diallo didn’t play after enrolling at Kentucky in January and was advised to sit out the 5-on-5 games, Zagoria continues. Wildcats coach John Calipari said that by remaining a sort of mystery man, Diallo has made himself more intriguing, as he expressed to Zagoria and media members. “They all like you without watching you. Good,” Calipari said. “The more you don’t play, the more they like you, the more they’re impressed.” The 6’5” shooting guard is currently rated No. 38 by DraftExpress and No. 35 by ESPN’s Chad Ford.

In other draft-related developments:

Purdue forward Caleb Swanigan isn’t sure if he’ll remain in the draft, he told Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star and other media members. Swanigan worked out with the Pacers on Monday. “It’s really hard,” Swanigan said of his impending decision. He’s currently ranked No. 29 by DraftExpress and No. 31 by Ford.
The Lakers stand out as the team that could lose the most in Tuesday’s draft lottery because of their trade obligations, as ESPN’s Ford and Kevin Pelton discuss. The Sixers could be the biggest winners with the opportunity to land two of the top four picks, as the duo explains. The Magic are another team with plenty at stake, according to Pelton, as they could lose a future first-rounder owed by Lakers and have to settle for a couple of second-round picks.
Participating in the Draft Combine last year helped North Carolina’s Justin Jackson, as he expressed to Moke Hamilton of Basketball Insiders. Jackson, a junior, has seen his stock rise dramatically after returning to school for his junior season as he credits the Combine for helping him improve his game. “The feedback I got last year… I took that extremely serious,” he told Hamilton. Jackson, a 6’8” swingman, is expected to be a mid- to late-first rounder. He’s ranked No 13 by DraftExpress and No. 25 by Ford.

Draft Rumors: Risers/Fallers, Fox, Giles, Bradley

May 12th, 2017 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Power forwards Jordan Bell (Oregon) and Kyle Kuzma (Utah) are among the players who have impressed scouts and executives during five-on-five action in Chicago at this year’s combine, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider link). Kuzma’s performance was so strong that he pulled out of today’s five-on-five game, quitting while he was ahead, tweets Ford.

Conversely, Maryland’s Melo Trimble and Iowa’s Peter Jok have struggled in Chicago, with Ford suggesting that Trimble’s draft stock has been “devastated” by his combine showing.

In addition to assessing the on-court performances of some notable prospects, Ford also passed along several interesting off-the-court items. Let’s dive in and round up those tidbits, along with a couple other draft-related notes and rumors…

There appears to be a “growing movement” among some teams to place De’Aaron Fox ahead of Lonzo Ball on draft boards, according to Ford, who suggests that the Kentucky point guard could come off the board as high as No. 3 — or even No. 2.
Teams are eagerly anticipating a look at the medicals on Harry Giles, who has been plagued by knee injuries. Ford says he has spoken to multiple NBA executives who are ready to move Giles into the 5-10 range if he’s fully cleared medically. “He’s the best prospect in the entire draft if he can fully recover and stay healthy,” one NBA exec told Ford. “He’s just a freaky talent.” Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times (Twitter link) also hears that Giles is moving up draft boards.
Ford’s sources expect freshman center Tony Bradley to remain in the draft rather than returning to North Carolina.
Some NBA scouts believe Donovan Mitchell (Louisville) will end up being selected in the lottery, or just outside of it, according to Ford.
Kentucky’s Hamidou Diallo looks like one of the best athletes in this year’s draft class, and that could be enough to make him a first-round pick if he stays in the draft, Ford writes.
Arizona’s Rawle Alkins said on Thursday that he’s 50-50 on whether to remain in the draft or go back to school, and will get all the feedback he can before making a final call. Adam Zagoria of FanRagSports.com has the quotes and the details.

Draft Notes: Collins, Comanche, Combine, Jazz

May 6th, 2017 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Gonzaga big man Zach Collins is quickly rising up draft boards, tweets Jon Rothstein of Fanrag Sports. The 7’0″ freshman didn’t play a lot this season, but he has become a favorite of NBA scouts. Collins averaged 10.0 points and 5.9 rebounds in just 17.2 minutes per night for the national runners-up. He is ranked 12th in Jonathan Givony’s latest list of the top 100 prospects at DraftExpress and 11th by ESPN’s Chad Ford. Collins is the top-rated center on Ford’s list, while Givony has him one spot behind Jarrett Allen of Texas.

There’s more draft-related news today:

Sophomore big man Chance Comanche of Arizona has announced via Twitter than he plans to remain in the draft. He averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds this season and is a long shot to be drafted.
Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders examines players who have gone on to NBA success after not receiving invitations to the draft combine. This year’s edition will be held this week in Chicago.
Kentucky guard Hamidou Diallo may be the best athlete at the combine, an NBA executive tells Rothstein (Twitter link). Diallo is projected to go early in the second round by both Givony and Ford.
Three Michigan players are headed to the combine, writes James Hawkins of The Detroit News. Moritz Wagner and D.J. Wilson, who entered the draft without hiring agents, both received invitations, along with senior Derrick Walton. Another Wolverines senior, Zak Irvin, also has draft aspirations but wasn’t invited to the combine.
Wagner will be among six players working out for the Jazz on Sunday, according to a tweet from the team. Joining him will be LSU’s Antonio Blakeney, UCLA’s Aaron Holiday, Florida State’s Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Georgetown’s L.J. Peak and BYU’s Eric Mika.

Draft Updates: Rabb, Boatwright, Ball, Diallo

April 28th, 2017 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

While our friends at Pro Football Rumors cover this week’s NFL draft, we’ve still got nearly two months until NBA draft day. However, that doesn’t mean there are no draft-related stories worth following in the NBA at the moment.

For instance, as Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com tweets, each NBA team has now voted for its top 70 candidates for 2017’s draft combine, and the league figures to announce this year’s invitees next week. That list will be crucial for many prospects, especially for early entrants who are testing the draft waters — they don’t have to decide whether or not to withdraw until 10 days after the combine, so getting a chance to talk to and work out for NBA teams in Chicago could significantly impact those decisions.

Here are a few more 2017 NBA draft notes:

As expected, former Cal forward Ivan Rabb is staying in the draft. Rabb, who is viewed as a possible lottery pick, has agreed to hire Aaron Goodwin of Goodwin Sports Management for representation, per Chris Haynes of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
USC’s Bennie Boatwright, who had been testing the draft waters, announced (via a Twitter video) that he’ll head back to school for his junior year, removing his name from the draft pool.
Speaking to Shams Charania of The Vertical, top prospect Lonzo Ball said that – while he’d love to be drafted by the Lakers – he’s ready to play for any NBA club and is prepared for “the challenge of helping turn around any team in the league.”
A handful of NBA teams are doing their homework on Kentucky prospect Hamidou Diallo, who is testing the draft waters without an agent. As Adam Zagoria details at FanRagSports.com, Diallo’s former coach Andy Borman has fielded calls from the Spurs, Hawks, and Thunder, among other teams.
Sam Vecenie of Vice.com decries the practice of “concern trolling” when it comes to the high number of early entrants declaring for the draft. According to Vecenie, those early entrants are well aware that only 60 players are drafted each year, but many of them have their own personal reasons for exploring the possibility of going pro.

Draft Updates: Hartenstein, Flaccadori, Diallo

April 24th, 2017 at 9:01am CST by Luke Adams

German power forward Isaiah Hartenstein has entered the 2017 NBA draft, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Hartenstein, who is ranked as the 19th-best prospect on DraftExpress’ big board, will be represented by agent B.J. Armstrong. At just 18 years old, Hartenstein is “clearly not ready for the NBA” yet, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford. However, assuming the big man remains in the draft, he could make an intriguing draft-and-stash project for an NBA team.

Here’s more news on early entrants for this year’s draft:

Lithuanian forward Arnoldas Kulboka is testing the draft waters, per international basketball reporter David Pick (via Twitter). Pick suggests that NBA general managers will head to Bamberg to scout the 6’9″ Kulboka, who has some long-term upside and currently ranks 50th on DraftExpress’ big board.
Italian shooting guard Diego Flaccadori has declared for the 2017 NBA draft, according to sports management and marketing firm Sigma Sports (Twitter link). Like other international early entrants, Flaccadori will have until June 12 to withdraw his name from this year’s draft pool.
18-year-old shooting guard Hamidou Diallo, a top recruit who enrolled early at the University of Kentucky, will test the NBA draft waters before playing his first game for the Wildcats, he announced in a statement (Twitter link).
Today is the deadline for early entrants to formally enter this year’s draft pool. Our early entrant list, which currently features 123 names, can be found right here.

And-Ones: Rose, Wilson, Childress, Telfair

November 17th, 2016 at 10:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

An appeal has been filed in the civil lawsuit that accused Knicks guard Derrick Rose and two of his friends of sexual assault, according to the Associated Press. A jury ruled against Rose’s ex-girlfriend, who was seeking $21.5MM over the alleged gang rape, the AP story continues. The appeal filed Thursday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals claims that pertinent evidence was excluded and jury instructions were tainted, the AP report adds.

In other developments around the league:

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is joining a group of investors seeking to build an NBA and NHL arena in the city, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com reports. Wilson wants to have an ownership stake if the NBA awards a franchise to the city or if a current team moves there, Kapadia adds. “I’ve told you guys I’ve been really authentic about wanting to own a team one day and being a part of something really special and doing that,” Wilson told Kapadia and other media members. “And even though I’m young, I definitely have a business mindset. And I want to be able to help people and give back and help change this community, continue to change this community for the better.”
Approximately 30 NBA scouts will be in attendance for this weekend’s National Prep Showcase in New Haven, Conn., Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com writes. Shooting guard Hamidou Diallo, who is eligible for the 2017 draft, is the main attraction, Zagoria adds.
Former NBA player Josh Childress has agreed to a contract with San-en NeoPhoenix in the Japanese League, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando relays. Childress played in Australia the past two seasons, Carchia adds. The 33-year-old forward made his last NBA appearance in the 2013/14 season, when he played four games for the Pelicans franchise.
Ex-NBA guard Sebastian Telfair has signed a one-month deal in China as an injury replacement for another former NBA player, Dwight Buycks, international journalist David Pick tweets. Telfair, 31, made his last NBA appearance in 2014/15, when he saw action in 16 games with the Thunder.