The OKC Thunder have had a shortened roster for a little while now. They assigned four players to the G-League including Aleksej Pokusevski, meaning that they had to replace solid rotation minutes.
The problem is that the Thunder have lost Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Theo Maledon to various niggles. This means that they have been playing without a true point guard for a number of games.
Looking at the numbers for Hamidou Diallo for the season against the last eight games, he is showing that he is willing to accept a greater role within the team structure. He has embodied the next-man-up attitude which is required when teams are down players like the Thunder have been.
The OKC Thunder have seen the growth of Hamidou Diallo
More from Thunderous Intentions
- Stealing one player from every Southwest Division team for the OKC Thunder
- Should the OKC Thunder chase after a disgruntled hometown hero?
- 3 OKC Thunder players who can step up in Aleksej Pokusevski’s absence
- Aleksej Pokusevski sidelined approximately 6 weeks with ankle injury
- Damian Lillard does not fit with the OKC Thunder
Diallo has shown tremendous growth in each of his three seasons. In his rookie year, he averaged 3.7 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game.
In his second season, he averaged 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game.
This season, Diallo is averaging 12.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals in 24.2 minutes per game. He has stepped up this season in a way those who have watched him are not surprised by.
He has four double-doubles on the season, three of which have been with points and rebounds. However, in the second game he started as a point guard, Diallo had a career-high ten assists which is the greatest sign of growth for the 22-year-old.
His numbers in the seven games since he started for the first time this season, his numbers have gone up again. He has averaged 16.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 steals in around 36 minutes per game.
The other sign of growth in Diallo is the very low number of turnovers, as he is averaging only 1.5 per game, which is quite impressive considering that in his first two seasons he had more turnovers than assists.
This season he is averaging 2.4 assists and only 1.5 turnovers. It is exciting to watch Hamidou Diallo grow as he has shown the edges of his potential, there is still so much more to tap into for the wing out of Queens.