Alpha Diallo (basketball, born 1997)

Alpha S. Diallo (born June 29, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for Lavrio of the Greek Basket League (GBL). He played college basketball for the Providence Friars.

Alpha Diallo

Diallo with Providence
No. 11 – Lavrio
Position	Small forward
League	Greek Basket League
Personal information
Born	June 29, 1997 New York City, New York
Nationality	American
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school	Denver West (Denver, Colorado) Frederick Douglass Academy (Harlem, New York) Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, New Hampshire)
College	Providence (2016–2020)
NBA draft	2020 / Undrafted
Playing career	2020–present
Career history
2020–present	Lavrio
Career highlights and awards
2× Second-team All-Big East (2019, 2020)
Medals Representing the  United States Pan American Games 2019 Lima National team

High school career

Diallo was born[1] and grew up in New York City but moved to Denver, Colorado with his mother.[2] He played at Denver West High School as a sophomore and led the team to the Sweet 16 in the Class 4A tournament. He was declared ineligible by the Colorado High School Activities Association after attempting to transfer to Abraham Lincoln High School, coached by his mentor Vince Valdez.[3] Diallo played two seasons at Frederick Douglass Academy in Harlem.[4] He did a postgraduate year at Brewster Academy and averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He scored 35 points and had eight rebounds and eight assists against eventual national champion Hargrave Military Academy.[2] Diallo represented Team Africa in the adidas Nations circuit and averaged 20.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Diallo was ranked the 95th best player in his class and signed with Providence after Junior Lomomba's transfer opened up a scholarship.[5] He chose the Friars over offers from Oklahoma State and VCU.[2]

College career

As a freshman, Diallo averaged 5.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.[6] Diallo averaged 13.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game as a sophomore and often defended the opposing team's best player. However, he only shot 21 percent from three-point range, and worked on his shooting in the summer.[7] As a junior, Diallo was named to the Second Team All-Big East.[8] He averaged 16 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, leading the team in all four categories. Diallo declared for the 2019 NBA draft but decided to return to Providence.[9] Coming into his senior season, he was named to the Preseason First Team All-Big East.[10] On February 16, 2020, Diallo scored a career-high 35 points in a 74–71 upset of tenth-ranked Seton Hall, shooting 11-of-15 from the floor.[8] He was named Big East Player of the Week on February 17.[11] As a senior, Diallo averaged 14.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game and was a repeat selection to the Second Team All-Big East.[12]

Professional career

On September 9, 2020, Diallo signed his first professional contract with Lavrio of the Greek Basket League.[13]

National team career

In the summer of 2019, Diallo was a part of the United States National team who competed at the Pan American Games in Peru. The team won bronze, defeating Dominican Republic 92–83 with 23 points and five rebounds from Diallo.[14] Diallo led the team in scoring (15.0), rebounding (5.6) and steals (1.6) per game.[10]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

College

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2016–17	Providence	33	16	21.4	.407	.243	.738	3.2	1.2	.9	.2	5.7
2017–18	Providence	32	31	30.7	.466	.214	.733	6.6	2.3	1.0	.3	13.2
2018–19	Providence	34	34	35.4	.420	.333	.674	8.1	3.1	1.6	.5	16.0
2019–20	Providence	31	30	32.7	.414	.313	.632	7.8	2.5	1.5	.9	14.1
Career		130	111	30.0	.429	.291	.684	6.4	2.3	1.3	.5	12.2

Personal life

Diallo's brother, Mohamed "Mo" Diallo, currently plays for Stony Brook.[15]

References

1. "Alpha Diallo". teamusa.org. Team USA. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
2. McNamara, Kevin (April 26, 2016). "Alpha Diallo commits to PC over Oklahoma State and VCU". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
3. Groke, Nick (April 22, 2016). "Alpha Diallo, a top high school basketball prospect, leaves Colorado". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
4. Joyce, Greg (March 8, 2018). "Providence rides New York City star to resume-building win". New York Post. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
5. Hopkins, Mike (April 26, 2016). "Providence Gets Commitment from 2016 Alpha Diallo of Brewster Academy". Big East Coast Bias. SB Nation. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
6. Gobis, Peter (March 7, 2018). "LOCAL MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Diallo stays on the sophomore rise for Friars". The Sun Chronicle. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
7. McNamara, Kevin (June 27, 2018). "College Basketball Journal: PC's Diallo a Big East star on the rise". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
8. Gobis, Peter (February 16, 2020). "MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Diallo a monster as Friars stun Pirates". The Sun Chronicle. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
9. McNamara, Kevin (May 29, 2019). "Alpha Diallo returning to PC for senior season". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
10. Gobis, Peter (October 10, 2019). "Friars' Diallo All-Big East first-team pick". The Sun Chronicle. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
11. Kourakis, Yianni (February 17, 2020). "Alpha Diallo key to Friars stretch run". WPRI. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
12. "Bey, Gillespie, Robinson-Earl and Moore Earn BIG EAST Honors". Villanova Wildcats. March 8, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
13. "Diallo inks at Lavrio at the beginning of his pro career". Eurobasket. September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
14. McNamara, Kevin (August 4, 2019). "Alpha Diallo helps lead Team USA to Pan Am bronze medal". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
15. "Mo Diallo Brings Added Wing Talent to Men's Hoops". Stony Brook University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-12-18.

External links

• Providence Friars bio