Draft And Stash – Optimizing 2016 NBA Draft Picks 24 and 26

Cheick Diallo

He was a Kansas Jayhawk, but while there he posted just over 200 minutes of playing time, and averaged just 3.0 PPG and 2.5 RPG. However, he has the measurables which makes any NBA executive sit up and take notice. He’s a 6’9″ 219 pound forward with a 7′ 4.5″ wingspan. Since his high school days, Diallo has long been known for his tremendous athleticism in running the floor and his unwavering motor. In the combine five on fives – as well as in an NBA that is increasingly played in the open floor and in space — his skills shine through and allow him to really perform well. In one game he scored 18 points with 4 blocks and 4 rebounds. In a second game, he scored 9 points but pulled down 10 rebounds.

He’s known as an active defender who can block shots and really guard in space due to that mobility at his size. Those players are rare in the NBA, and they’ve become even more valuable in recent years due to the relative downsizing of the game. It’s worth noting that Diallo is absolutely still a bit of a project on the next level given that he’s only been playing basketball for about six years, but the combine allowed him to show teams that this season wasn’t necessarily his real self and that he’s a project worth undertaking.

If selected, he’s the type of young man who would be ideal for a two -three year international assignment.

Next: Furkan