Ranking OKC Thunder top 5 young players for rebuild mode
By Rylan Stiles
The OKC Thunder have more than just a springy dunker in Hamidou Diallo
Hamidou Diallo was a second-round pick that the OKC Thunder has already received a better return on investment than with the majority of second-rounders. Diallo has always been pigeoned holed as only a dunker, and his jaw-dropping leap over Shaq played into it as he hoisted the slam dunk contest trophy.
This season in year two, Diallo started the 2019-20 campaign proving that he is more than just a high flyer, and showing flashes of the potential to be a good role player in this league. Before injuring his elbow this season, Diallo was averaging eight points with four rebounds. The second-year player also collected over a steal per game on the defensive end.
He played the role of a defensive menace recognizing five multi-steal games. Playing time since those first 11 games this year have been sparse as he continues to nurse different injuries.
Hamidou Diallo will never be an NBA caliber starter, but his athleticism, defense, and off-ball offense when cutting to the rim make him a valuable role player.