Hamidou Diallo to Kentucky: Wildcats Land 5-Star SG Prospect

Hamidou Diallo, one of the best all-around athletes in the 2017 recruiting class, announced Saturday he's going to play college basketball at Kentucky.

ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello first reported the news and shed some light on the timing of the announcement:

Diallo is a 5-star prospect who checks in as the No. 10 overall recruit in the 2017 class, according to Scout. He also sits atop the list of incoming shooting guards.

The Putnam Science Academy (Connecticut) product is a natural aggressor at the offensive end. He puts pressure on opposing defenses by attacking the rim and is terrific at finishing in the paint thanks to his high-end athleticism. He epitomizes somebody who can jump out of the gym.

New Jersey Hoop Recruit highlighted some of that explosiveness:

While his ability to create instant offense off the dribble will allow him to make an immediate impact, other areas of his game still need work.

Diallo has made some strides with his jump shot, but it needs to become a more reliable weapon to force defenses to challenge him 20 feet away from the rim and beyond. If that happens, it will be even more difficult to keep him from penetrating the lane.

His defense is also a work in progress. He has the tools to succeed; it comes down to better technique and consistent effort at that end of the floor.

A year in college should go a long way in helping Diallo develop his skill set. It wasn't always a guarantee that he would take this route, however. The guard told Evan Daniels of Scout he was considering direct entry into the 2017 NBA draft after graduating from high school a year early.

"It's definitely something that I'm going to look into," Diallo said. "It's my ultimate goal, and I don't feel like it would hurt me looking into. But as of now I want to go to college."

His NBA dreams make the choice of Kentucky no surprise. Wildcats head coach John Calipari has built a powerhouse program in Lexington in large part because he's proved his ability to help players make a quick, efficient transition from high school to the NBA with a one-year stop in college.

The role Diallo will fill during the early stages of his collegiate career is unclear because of the high rate of roster turnover at Kentucky on an annual basis. With that said, his upside should allow him to work his way into a key spot in the rotation by season's end.

Diallo is likely looking at a one-and-done college career, barring unforeseen circumstances that make him come back for a second season. The impact he's capable of making before embarking on an NBA journey should excite fans, though.