Alpha Diallo
Diallo with Providence
No. 11 – AS Monaco Basket
PositionSmall forward
LeagueLNB Pro A
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (1997-06-29) June 29, 1997 (age 26)
New York City, U.S.
NationalityAmerican / Guinean
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeProvidence (2016–2020)
NBA draft2020: undrafted
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2021Lavrio
2021–presentAS Monaco
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Lima National team

Alpha Saliou Diallo[1] (born June 29, 1997) is an American-born Guinean professional basketball player for AS Monaco of the French LNB Pro A and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for the Providence Friars.

High school career

Diallo was born[2] and grew up in New York City but moved to Denver, Colorado with his mother.[3] 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.[4] Diallo played two seasons at Frederick Douglass Academy in Harlem.[5] 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.[3] 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.[6] He chose the Friars over offers from Oklahoma State and VCU.[3]

College career

As a freshman, Diallo averaged 5.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.[7] 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.[8] As a junior, Diallo was named to the Second Team All-Big East.[9] 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.[10] Coming into his senior season, he was named to the Preseason First Team All-Big East.[11] 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.[9] He was named Big East Player of the Week on February 17.[12] 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.[13]

Professional career

Lavrio

On September 9, 2020, Diallo signed his first professional contract with Lavrio of the Greek Basket League.[14] During the very successful 2020–2021 campaign, where the club reached the Greek Basket League finals for the first time, Diallo averaged 12.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

AS Monaco

On July 24, 2021, Diallo signed a three-year contract with Greek Basket League champions and EuroLeague mainstays Panathinaikos.[15] However, on August 30, he signed with AS Monaco of the French LNB Pro A.[16]

On May 18, 2022, he was named to the All-LNB Pro A First Team.[17] Diallo helped Monaco reach the Finals of the Pro A, where they lost to LDLC ASVEL.[18]

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.[19] Diallo led the team in scoring (15.0), rebounding (5.6) and steals (1.6) per game.[11]

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.[20]

References

  1. ^ "Avec Sekou Doumbouya, Monaco remporte son premier match de préparation". BeBasket (in French). August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  2. ^ "Alpha Diallo". teamusa.org. Team USA. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c McNamara, Kevin (April 26, 2016). "Alpha Diallo commits to PC over Oklahoma State and VCU". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  4. ^ Groke, Nick (April 22, 2016). "Alpha Diallo, a top high school basketball prospect, leaves Colorado". The Denver Post. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  5. ^ Joyce, Greg (March 8, 2018). "Providence rides New York City star to resume-building win". New York Post. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ a b Gobis, Peter (February 16, 2020). "MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Diallo a monster as Friars stun Pirates". The Sun Chronicle. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  10. ^ McNamara, Kevin (May 29, 2019). "Alpha Diallo returning to PC for senior season". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Gobis, Peter (October 10, 2019). "Friars' Diallo All-Big East first-team pick". The Sun Chronicle. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  12. ^ Kourakis, Yianni (February 17, 2020). "Alpha Diallo key to Friars stretch run". WPRI. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  13. ^ "Bey, Gillespie, Robinson-Earl and Moore Earn BIG EAST Honors". Villanova Wildcats. March 8, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  14. ^ "Diallo inks at Lavrio at the beginning of his pro career". Eurobasket. September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  15. ^ "Panathinaikos announces Alpha Diallo". Sportando. July 24, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
  16. ^ "Alpha Diallo signs with AS Monaco Basket". Sportando. August 30, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  17. ^ "Trophées LNB : les lauréats en Betclic ELITE !". Betclic ELITE (in French). May 18, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  18. ^ "Le triplé pour Lyon-Villeurbanne !". Betclic ELITE (in French). June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  19. ^ McNamara, Kevin (August 4, 2019). "Alpha Diallo helps lead Team USA to Pan Am bronze medal". The Providence Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  20. ^ "Mo Diallo Brings Added Wing Talent to Men's Hoops". Stony Brook University Athletics. Retrieved December 18, 2020.

External links

AS Monaco current roster
United States men's basketball squad – 2019 Pan American Games – Bronze medal
Categories