Last season, Kentucky’s biggest weakness, in my view, was clearly its point guard situation. Nearly every on-court struggle, particularly on offense, seemed connected to Jaland Lowe’s injuries and Denzel Aberdeen being forced to play out of position. Jasper Johnson also logged minutes at the point, but I doubt he was ever meant to play as much as he did. That position proved to be the fatal flaw of Mark Pope’s second year in Lexington. Now, heading into his third season, the hope is that Zoom Diallo provides the solution Kentucky’s coaching staff is very high on the transfer guard.
During an appearance on the UK Sports Network, assistant coach Mo Williams shared his enthusiasm for Diallo in a Kentucky uniform.
An All-SEC Candidate
“Veteran kid, obviously been at this level, played at this level,” Williams said. “Ready for this moment… it says a lot when someone wants to come. So I’m excited about him. I expect him to be really, really good for us.”
“I expect him to be in a position where people are talking about him at the end of the season for an All-SEC team,” Williams added. “I expect huge dividends from Zoom. I think he’ll be terrific for us.”
As a sophomore at Washington, Diallo averaged just under 16 points per game, along with 4.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds a solid all-around stat line. But what really stands out to me is his physique, which seems tailor-made for SEC competition. At 6’4″, Diallo’s size and ability to drive to the basket separate him from the typical available guard. His three-point shooting needs work, but as long as he stays healthy in Lexington, the rest of his game should more than compensate.
Kentucky’s Backcourt Solution
Paired with Alex Wilkins, Diallo looks like Mark Pope’s best point guard yet. He’s clearly built for the SEC, and after making a strong leap from his freshman to sophomore year, he appears ready for another step forward in year three. Add four-star freshman Mason Williams waiting behind Diallo on the bench, and Coach Pope seems to have built this roster to avoid the very issue that derailed last season’s team.
I don’t know about you, BBN, but I really like the potential of this roster. One more solid addition, and we might be looking at a Pope-led team finally breaking through in March. Then again, maybe that’s just my blue-tinted glasses talking.
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