CHICAGO _ Kentucky freshman Hamidou Diallo is attempting to take an unusual track into the NBA after not playing a single minute in college.
His first impression at the NBA draft combine Thursday at Quest Multisport seemed to be a strong one. The 6-foot-5 guard leaped an astounding 44{ inches during the vertical jump, the highest of the day by three inches.
"It was higher than a previous test I did," said Diallo, who met with the Bulls on Thursday. "I would just say (it was) energy and adrenaline."
DraftExpress.com projects Diallo to be selected 37th in its latest mock draft, while nbadraft.net doesn't have him going in either round. General managers and scouts have many questions about Diallo, who enrolled at Kentucky midyear after graduating from a prep school in Connecticut.
He didn't answer many of those questions at the combine by opting out of the five-on-five scrimmage, only getting measured and participating in agility tests.
"People in my corner advised me not to (scrimmage), and those are the people I trust," Diallo said. He said sitting out was hard. "I'm a competitor and can come out and compete on any given night."
He said he tried to keep his game sharp through practices at Kentucky.
Diallo, who has not signed with an agent, said he is open to returning to Kentucky as well as to keeping his name in the draft. While he said it wasn't his intention to skip playing in college and dart to the NBA, he was intrigued by the decision of Thon Maker, who entered the draft last year after a postgraduate year at a prep school and was picked 10th by the Bucks.
"If the door is open, it's (a decision) for me and my family," Diallo said. "Anyone who has something negative to say, at the end of the day, I'm the one playing and trying to provide for my family."
