WATCH: Hamidou Diallo shares best advice he got from coach John Calipari ahead of NBA career
By Adam Spencer
Published:
After being traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Oklahoma City Thunder a couple of days ago, 2018 second-round pick Hamidou Diallo came out strong against his former team, scoring 19 points and snagging eight rebounds in a win over the Nets on Saturday night.
Following the game, Diallo spoke with reporters about his breakout performance, but one question was about his time at Kentucky with coach John Calipari.
As you can see in the video below, Diallo says Coach Cal is still one of his biggest supporters as he embarks on his NBA career:
"Stay ready…Make sure you're always ready & trust your work."
"@hamidoudiallo talks best advice he's received from @UKCoachCalipari after his ? performance in @okcthunder's victory over the Nets! #NBASummer pic.twitter.com/enkcPccV9k
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 8, 2018
“I spoke with him two days ago – we had dinner,” Diallo said. “He just told me to go out there and be myself. He thinks I’m ready. He believes in me.”
As for the best advice Calipari ever gave him, Diallo said it’s all about taking advantage of every opportunity that comes your way:
“Stay ready. Everybody has a different path,” Diallo said. “You’ve just got to stay ready and make sure you always believe in and trust your work.”
Diallo will have a chance to shine with the Thunder, who need players to go alongside expensive stars like Russell Westbrook and Paul George. If he follows Calipari’s advice, he could have a huge rookie season.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
