Kentucky Wildcats STRONGLY in the Mix for Elite Point Guard Zoom Diallo, Can Mark Pope CLOSE?

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Well, Kentucky needs a point guard and they might have found their next stud in Washington

transfer Zoom Diallo.

You are Lockdown Kentucky, your daily podcast on the Kentucky Wildcats, part of the Lockdown

Podcast Network, your team every day.

Alright, what's going on?

Big blue nation.

Welcome on into Lockdown, Kentucky, your daily Kentucky Wildcats podcast.

I'm your host Lance Dallin on today's episode of the show.

We're going to be talking about Zoom Diallo, apparently had a Zoom call that's right with

Mark Pope and company earlier today.

Would he be a good ad?

What do we expect from Kentucky and the transfer portal there is just so much going on

right now.

There's a lot to dive into.

We're not going to get to all of it today, but I want to talk about Diallo.

I want to talk about Andrea Yelvich leaving, but Cam Williams coming back.

What are the ramifications of one of the best three point shooters on last year's roster

returning and then a Saint Mary's transfer Paulie's Morowskis, a guy I think that would

play the Andrew Carr role perfectly.

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Okay.

So according to reports from our friend of the show Jacob Polichek, Kentucky is strongly

in the mix for Washington point guard, zoom Diallo, a player that I would much rather

take over, maybe a couple of other guards that the Wildcats are conversing with right

now, most notably Dita and Thomas Jr. Apparently another another guard that Kentucky had

a zoom call with here on Tuesday.

But again, according to Polichek, Kentucky strongly in the mix for this Washington transfer

number 10 point guard number 25 overall player and the on three transfer portal industry

ranking, the thing that I like about Diallo is when I look at his stats, when I look at

the way that he plays the game, when I just watch him as a prospect here for the cats,

I think of one player that literally just won a national championship.

And that's Elliott Kato transferred from North Carolina to Michigan and won a national

title.

A floor stabilizer, a player that I think could bring extreme, like serious scoring value

at the point guard spot while also being a legitimate facilitator.

Kado was not asked to be the lead guy for the for the Wolverines this past year.

He wasn't asked to be there go to score.

He wasn't asked to be the bright light on offense.

He wasn't even asked to be like that efficient, even though he ended up shooting the three ball

pretty dang well, considering what his stats were at UNC.

He was asked to be a floor stabilizer and a winning player.

And that's what I see here in zoom, Diallo 15.7 points per game, shooting 48.9% from

the floor and 31.5% from three.

He also averaged four and a half assists per game and four rebounds per contest.

Here's why and this might be a very dumb reason that I think he could play a Kado type

role.

Well, actually, I've got several reasons, but the most important one is his three point

shooting percentage, 31.5% on 2.2 shots from beyond the arc per game.

Kado was shooting about 31% before this past season here at Michigan.

I believe he ended up shooting a little over 37% from deep.

Yes, 37.6% is what Elliott Kado ended up shooting this year at Michigan.

When I watch Diallo shoot, when I watch him shoot in the mid range, when I watch him shoot

from the charity stripe, and when I watch him shoot from three, I don't see anything wrong

with his base.

I don't think see anything consistently wrong with his form.

That is a three point shot that will get up past 33, 34, potentially 35%, especially

in a system like Mark Popes that's going to allow him a little bit more, how do I say,

he will have more spot up opportunities, I would say, than maybe at a place like Washington.

He's not going to constantly have to create off the dribble, which it seems like he had

to do quite a bit at UW.

I see Elliott Kado high floor solid point guard written all over zoom Diallo, 97% tile

invasion performance rating, 98% tile and offensive BPR 91st and defensive BPR.

He's a B in both offensive and defensive impact.

He's in the 95th percentile of playmakers across the country, according to Evan Mia.

He gets that three point shot up, you are getting a score, you're getting scoring volume,

you're getting assist, you're getting playmaking and you're getting some more efficiency from

deep somebody that can legitimately be a scoring threat while also being a solid

playmaker and the kicker on this.

The thing that I love to boot is the fact that Diallo is six foot four.

You don't have a small scoring guard that is unproven at the high major level.

This is a guy that is played in the big 10.

For a couple of seasons, got much better this past year as a sophomore and somebody that

I think could bring a ton of value to Kentucky, seriously in the mix, according to Jacob

Polichek.

We will watch this space with close intent where we will watch this space closely, intentionally

tracking what's going on with zoom Diallo because I think this is one that Kentucky

really needs to keep their eye on and maybe try and get a commitment quick from.

I don't normally jump the gun and say, let's go ahead and pick up this kid before we see

what else is in the transfer portal.

I would, I would take zoom Diallo today if it were me, but of course, I'm not putting

the roster together.

Kentucky is a couple of other things to note here, by the way, if you're watching this

live, thank you so much for tuning in, a couple of things to note about this Kentucky

in the transfer portal right now.

Terrence Brown, a player from Utah in the transfer portal, apparently, Kentucky had a face

time call with him and it got leaked actually from his private Snapchat story that he had

a face time call with Mark Pope earlier today, pretty funny, whoever is on that private

story that leaked that you will never be getting back on that story again.

Congratulations, portraying the trust of Terrence Brown on one of the worst apps known to

man.

That's right.

I'll stay in by that.

So Terrence Brown is somebody that Kentucky apparently is interested in.

I've not heard anything official.

We're going to wait for more to come out about Donnie Freeman, be forward from Syracuse.

Somebody that I have a lot of positive things to say about some criticisms as well and

some questions.

I was actually talking to Syracuse host, locked on Syracuse host, Jackson holds her earlier

and he obviously not so high on Freeman or Nate George, another player that apparently

Kentucky might be going after as well.

So watch that space as well, going to wait for some more official things to come out about

Freeman, about Brown actually about somebody like Nate George, somebody like Kwame Evans

who Kentucky's going after.

But I want I wanted to talk about Diallo today and then I wanted to talk about the reality

that hey, you're losing Andre Yalovich, somebody that could have been really good for you.

And then also Cam Williams coming back, we'll talk about the departure.

We'll talk about the retention of Williams.

There's a very interesting to statistic that I saw on Twitter about Williams that I want

to bring to your attention because it's clear.

The shooting value that Williams has, I think, is not appreciated.

We'll dive into that in just a moment before we do it though.

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All right.

Continuing along here on today's episode of the show, thank you guys so much for tuning

in.

There's almost 200 of you in the live chat here.

We've talked a little bit about zoom Diallo.

I think that he would be a great, great, great, great, great ad for Kentucky.

High enough floor defensively six foot four great playmakers volume score.

I see his efficiency possibly rising from the perimeter.

If he was at Kentucky.

Plus for water because I just can't get enough of it.

He would be great.

Sound off in the comments below.

Would you want?

Would you want Diallo?

Would you not?

I would take him today.

If it were up to me, um, some some bad news, some good news.

We'll start with the bad Andrea Yelvich has entered the transfer portal with a possible

return to Kentucky, apparently on the table.

I.

This is going to sound bad and it's not because of Yelvich.

I think if this has kind of been my thought here as the transfer portal has unfolded players

have entered from the Kentucky where we've lost what eight players now on the roster potentially.

Andrea Yelvich has potential.

He has the ability to be a better player than what he was.

But overall, I just, I'm not moved one way or another by the players that I've left

Kentucky of their own volition, Otega Owe graduating like I hate that he's gone.

He's the player that I like I hate that he's gone.

Apparently Denzel Aberdeen is trying to get one more year of eligibility because he's

in the transfer portal best of luck to him.

I didn't really have anything bad to say about him this season other than that.

I thought he was a bucket getter and I thought he was fun.

Oh, I meant to I have that on my notes.

One of my comps for zoom was actually Denzel Aberdeen go watch and play.

It's like a little bit more it's a little bit more under control Denzel Aberdeen.

Just a little bit.

I think that when I say under control, I think it's just is he's naturally a point guard.

And Aberdeen wasn't which it's not it's not a knock on him.

But like Garrison, Jasper, Yelvich, like these are these are not players that are really

moving the needle for me emotionally.

Like yeah, you did some good things, but also at the same time like you can think about

it guys grand scheme of things or these are the are these the role players you want on

a national championship winning team.

I just I don't think so.

And yeah, Yelvich could develop into somebody better this off season, but with with the way

that he declined so significantly shooting the three ball towards the end of the year.

I'm just like if that's the type player going to have where every shot is just too strong.

And you just don't have much touch.

I don't know.

I just I don't think that that's the type of player that I want to keep around, especially

if they're wanting a lot of money like sorry, you can go develop elsewhere because we

can find somebody that is just simply more skillful in this current state of college basketball

than you.

Like I'm sorry, Andre Yelvich, thank you for what you did at Kentucky.

Appreciate you.

I'd say the same thing about Garrison Jasper obviously struggled, but like none of these

players I'm like losing sleep over like it's it's okay.

It's perfectly okay.

And as some people in the live chat are already pointing out, there's a guy that we're

going to talk about here in a little bit that I'm like, yeah, that'll be better than

Yelvich.

That'll be better than than what Kentucky's had at the for like they need a stretch guy.

And Moralskis would I think would be great.

We'll talk about him in a little bit, but I wanted to touch on Yelvich.

I'm just not, you know, if he comes back cool, we'll see if we can develop him, but at

the same time, I'm just like, I'm not that upset.

I'm just not I'm sorry, I'm just not that upset about it.

Cam Williams though coming back, I think it's big.

I think it's big.

I'm so excited that that is it is was it was announced earlier today that Cam Williams

will be returning to the team.

Because Kentucky, I frankly, they need shooters.

I mean, if you look at all the players that they're going after in the transfer portal

right now, yeah, I'm excited about a lot of them in certain ways, but none of them provide

like elite, elite, elite three point shooting.

And yeah, if you get Colin Chandler back, then I think that'll be big for you there.

But Kentucky, I think they need they need a Kobe Braia type.

And if they don't, if they don't play defense, that's okay, they need a Kobe Braia type.

They need somebody who that can that can shoot off the dribble, that can shoot off the

catch, that can shoot the cover off the ball period.

And they're getting a guy coming back in Cam Williams that didn't start the year great.

10 games of the season, he was terrible, like just could not shoot the ball at all.

And then from the Indiana game on again, from the Indiana game on here, guys, here were

his stats, 7.4 points per game, one rebound per game.

He shot 46.8% from three on 3.4 outside shots per game.

Let me reiterate here, 46.8% from three from the Indiana game on basically outside of

the Bellarman game, giving you like a one of two type performance every game, he's going

to hit one.

If you can give me 40%, if you can give me 37%, plus if you're Cam Williams at six foot

eight on the wing, and you can be a little bit more mobile, maybe work on your speed and

your mobility this off season, that is great, great, great, great, great, great, great for

Kentucky.

Really solid roster retention here.

There's a lot of players from this team that I just, I was just not moved by.

I just didn't, they're, some of them already gone.

I don't, I hate to say it, I don't care that much.

Like if they, if, if Yelvich comes back cool, but somebody like Cam, I mean, he caught

fire, guys, like he caught fire and stationary, sure, but I mean, he provides a lot of value

for this team, I think he provides a lot of value.

Gets to find Vox, that's your shooter.

I think we've talked about Vox already on the show.

I'm if he on him, I think you would be a lot of fun at Kentucky.

I think he'll be a lot of fun, but I don't know, I don't know what Kentucky would do with

that.

I think that they do around him to make the team better defensively, especially.

Cam was starting to drive to the basket more effectively before his injury and so was

Colin Chandler peanut butter pasta.

You make a really good point there about how like, and Chandler, I think talked about this

towards the end of the season where it's like teams are starting to recognize like how

to guard me.

And so I have to be a little bit more creative.

And I have to do things that I'm not normally accustomed to doing, putting the ball on the

floor at six eight.

If Cam can put the ball on the floor, just a little bit, just a little bit.

It makes a, it makes things a whole lot more difficult for opposing defenses to stay

in front.

Like you can't consistently stay in front of that, especially if the kids going to shoot

40% from deep and he can pull from anywhere.

So I think Cam being back is great, AJ being gone.

I just like, I'm, I'm neutral on I just, it doesn't bother me.

And I want to talk about one more player here with you guys, Pollyis Moralskis, I believe

is how you pronounce his name.

A guy that I'm pretty excited about that Kentucky apparently is going to have a zoom call

with on Thursday.

Another guy that I think winning basketball, I think you would be a winning player.

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All right, wrapping up today's episode of the show.

Thank you guys so much for tuning in live over 300 of you in the live chat to talk about

Zoom Diallo, talk about Cam Williams coming back, AJ leaving, in case you didn't hear

me earlier in your live chat.

Now we know that Terrence Brown exists.

We'll talk about him tomorrow.

We know Donnie Freeman exists.

We'll talk about him tomorrow.

Maybe some more official stuff will come out about him there, a lot of you in the chat

saying you want Magoon Gwoth.

Someone who effectively felt like a done deal to Kentucky last season, I guess Kentucky's

going to get back in on that now, a lot of you in the live chat talking about Magoon.

Okay.

I really like posting that, that one video, I'm not going to, I'm not going to repeat

what it says here on the show on Twitter every time Magoon Gwoth's name gets brought

up.

Yeah, Magoon would be great because he adds defensive value and he could shoot it.

Now the question is whether or not he is physically capable of staying consistently strong

on the defensive end in an SEC play.

I don't know.

I guess that would be my question.

The Mountain West is not a joke of a conference.

I respect the Mountain West a lot, like I really do like that week, League.

Blackwell, you go all out for him.

I agree.

We talked about that yesterday.

As somebody just said, Blackwell is not coming to Kentucky.

He's probably not, which I'm upset about, I'm, I'm, I'm mad about.

But I want to talk about a player, Kentucky apparently is going to have zoom call with

on Thursday, a forward out of Saint Mary's that provides legitimate two way value and

is just overall a really good freaking player.

And that is Paulius Moralskis, the most utilized player on the Gales, a season ago, according

to Ken Palm, used on 26.3% of possessions got over a quarter of the Saint Mary shots

while he was on the floor.

He averaged, hold your breath here, folks.

He averaged 18.4, 0.7, 0.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists per game while shooting 48.2% from the

floor and 33.3% from beyond the arc.

He's a 33.5% career, three points shooter started his career at Arizona.

And also, oh, by the way, just a fun little fact here, he's got a 98.7 defensive rating.

He's an a overall invasion performance rating, 97% tile, 97th and 94th percentile in offensive

defense.

Guys, I know, I know I talked about, I know I talked about zoom, Diallo being a take Moralskis.

I would like to see him commit to Kentucky before we even get to that zoom call on Thursday.

The Thursday is too long from now, guys, that is two whole days for another team to come

in and be like, hey, we'll give you a lot of money.

This is another kid that would be a winning basketball player.

All it offensive impact, even better defensive impact at what is it?

Six foot, yeah, six foot eight to 35.

I believe, yeah, he's listed at six, nine, some places, but he six eight to 35.

He doesn't really turn the ball over.

He's a really good defensive rebounder.

He gets to the line quite a bit.

He is a, he does, he does everything you want your stretch for to do.

It's even better in some ways than Andrew Carr because I think that Moralskis is a little

bit better of a ball handler.

Like he can face up a lot better from beyond the perimeter.

I'm trying not to overreact just based on what I've seen based on what the stats tell

me based on what I know about St. Mary's a little, the little information we have zoom in

Moralskis would be really good players.

Now again, you got to surround them with more talent.

Somebody like a Tyron Stokes, I think would be great, but like you could put Moralskis

at the three.

Stokes is the three and Moralskis at the four at that point.

And then Marino at the five, like the Kentucky's got a chance to put together a really good

team and I would, I'm going to be so mad if we look up two and a half, three weeks from

now and Kentucky's just quote unquote, with on a lot of these high profile prospects

and they've gone elsewhere and they shine.

I will be so mad if Kentucky over thinks this because it's clear they did it last season.

It's clear they did it last off season.

Don't overthink it, get the players that work and go out and get them now thoughts on

JQ coming back.

I'm not sure.

I'm not sure.

I don't think it's going to happen.

Shoot.

And while we while we're here live, it could be announced that that Jaden Quayne's declares

for the NBA draft.

I don't know.

I don't know.

People have to see on that, but Diallo would be great, man, he would just, he would just

be really good pair him with Mason Williams in one other point guard, one other point guard.

And gosh, that's, that's a good, that's a good rotation, y'all.

That's a really good rotation.

You get Colin Chandler back.

Um, I mean, you got Kim Williams at the three coming off the bench behind maybe somebody

like Stokes or somebody that's a more complete offensive threat.

I don't know.

You could go get Vantarpool from FAU.

Kentucky's got a lot of options right now.

They got a lot of options.

They're looking at a ton of players.

We can't even get to all of them today.

We'll get to more tomorrow for sure.

But thank you guys so much for tuning in.

Um, leave a comment.

Let me know what you think about these different players.

If there's a guy that I've not even mentioned today, please leave a comment and let me know,

Hey, I like this guy.

What do you think?

We'll do our best to take a look at it on tomorrow show and throughout the rest of the week.

You can follow the show on Twitter.

Get locked on UK.

Follow me on Twitter.

Atlanta underscore and follow the show over on Instagram that is that Kentucky podcast.

Any questions, comments, concerns, leave those in the YouTube comments below.

Hit me on the socials.

I will see you all tomorrow for another episode of locked on Kentucky.

You'll be guys have a great rest of your day.

And God bless.

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