He’s not,” the big man said as he good-naturedly refuted his new teammate’s rookie status.
asserted
he → ’ → status
To him, Diallo’s a game-tested veteran that Denver added after he spent the last several seasons in Europe honing his lockdown defensive skills.
asserted
he → ’ → skills
But Diallo’s hoping to make just as big of an impact on the floor — in his own tenacious way, of course.
asserted
Diallo → hop → course
“Whoever I’m assigned to guard at that time, if they don’t know who I am, hopefully they’ll find out real soon,” Diallo said ahead of the Nuggets’ season opener Thursday night at Oklahoma City.
asserted
Diallo → assign → City
The path for Diallo was a little more winding than your typical NBA rookie.
asserted
path → wind → rookie
An All-Big East second-teamer for Providence, the 6-foot-7 Diallo went undrafted in 2020.
asserted
Diallo → go → 2020
So, he worked on his craft all around Europe.
asserted
he → work → Europe
He played the last five seasons with AS Monaco, earning the EuroLeague’s best defender award last season.
asserted
He → play → award
He’s looking forward to testing his skills against the best of the best, maybe even Thursday should he be assigned to cover two-time NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
asserted
he → look → Alexander
Because defense, Diallo explained, translates, no matter the level.
asserted
Diallo → explain → ?
“Just continue to be aggressive when I’m in the game,” said Diallo, who was born in New York, spent time in Denver and finished school on the East Coast before heading to Providence.
asserted
who → continue → Providence
“Try to force guys to turn the ball over as best as I can, and help rebound.”
Diallo has teammates occasionally asking for tips on how to guard someone a certain way.
asserted
teammates → try → someone
He’s always willing to impart his defensive wisdom.
asserted
He → ’ → wisdom
“He’s really athletic.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
He can beat people to the spot,” Jokic explained of Diallo’s defensive prowess.
asserted
Jokic → beat → prowess
“He’s kind of trippy.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
He knows how to play a little bit dirty, too, so he has a little bit of everything.”
asserted
he → know → everything
Diallo averaged 11.9 points and 4.4 rebounds for Monaco last season.
asserted
Diallo → average → Monaco
He’s preparing for any role with the Nuggets while taking in everything.
asserted
He → prepare → everything
He’s expected to play on the second unit with some combination of DeMar DeRozan, Tyus Jones, Marvin Bagley III, rookie Trevon Brazile, Spencer Jones and Julian Strawther (when healthy).
asserted
He → expect → DeRozan
“I’m still figuring it out,” said Diallo, who signed a one-year deal in August.
asserted
who → figure → August
“I won’t say I have everything figured out, but that’s what our coaches are here for.
asserted
coaches → say → what
They talk to me every day about what I can do to improve on different aspects, and I’ve been listening and following.”
asserted
I → talk → aspects
“The physicality over there is what it is, and so he’s brought that with him,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said.
asserted
Adelman → bring → him
So he’s got to get used to that.
asserted
he → get → that
“Obviously, the talent level of our best players in the NBA, it brings a totally different idea team-wise.
asserted
it → bring → idea
In Europe, the responsibility is more about you guard your guy and you get through screens and you maintain what you’re doing.
asserted
you → guard → what
Over here, you have to mix that with a lot of team concepts.”
Crowded arenas won’t be an eye-opening experience for Diallo.
asserted
arenas → have → Diallo
“The first time I’d ever been to Lithuania was to play a basketball game, and they sold out ... the arena,” Diallo said.
asserted
Diallo → play → arena
“Everyone was standing up for the whole game.
asserted
Everyone → stand → game
So different experiences like that, I think helps me, and just gives me a little bit confidence of coming in here and being able to just fit in.”
asserted
I → think → confidence
The current rookie of the year odds favor Cameron Boozer (Memphis), Caleb Wilson (Chicago), Peterson, Dybantsa and Darius Acuff Jr. (Sacramento).
asserted
odds → favor → Boozer
Diallo’s name is nowhere to be found on most lists, which is fine by him.
asserted
which → find → him
“Do I feel like a rookie?
asserted
I → feel → rookie
No, I don’t feel like a rookie,” Diallo said.
asserted
Diallo → feel → rookie
“But in the same sense, I’m new to the NBA, so I get it.
asserted
I → ’m → it
I’ve been playing in some big games and won some titles — but in Europe — and this is a new league.
asserted
this → play → Europe
The Aporia
