Hamidou Diallo withdraws from NBA draft

It appears we'll see Hamidou Diallo play for Kentucky again after all, as the highly-touted recruit announced Wednesday that he will withdraw from the NBA draft and rejoin the Wildcats next season.

The 6-foot-5 guard, who was one of the top players in the country for the class of 2018, enrolled at Kentucky a semester early and joined the basketball program immediately. Although he was eligible to play, Diallo spent the semester practicing with the team and watching games from the bench.

"Although I was a part of the team last season and trained with my teammates, I never fulfilled another one of my dreams, which was to play for a major college program and win a national title," Diallo said. "I am excited about returning to Kentucky for the 2017-18 season. I can't wait to play in a Kentucky jersey for the first time.”

Shortly after the season ended, he declared for the NBA draft, having fulfilled the league's mandate of players being at least one year removed from high school.

Diallo wowed scouts with his athleticism at the draft combine, showing off an absurd 44.5-inch vertical leap. That performance saw him shoot up draft boards, with some projections even listing him as a potential lottery pick.

“I’m really proud of Hami,” head coach John Calipari said. “He took in all the information, asked a lot of questions, including questions to the NBA teams. I love the fact that he wants to put himself in a better position and help lead this new team to a championship. I can’t wait to get him on the court and have all of you fans see what I know. He’s a special player and a special person.”

Diallo's decision, which was made at the last possible moment, will see him return to a Kentucky team that lost its top four scorers to the draft. While Calipari brought in another top-ranked recruiting class, one has to think Diallo has the upper hand in leading the team, having spent a semester in the system.