The Oklahoma City Thunder signed second round pick Hamidou Diallo to a 3 year/$4 million dollar contract. The 6’5″ guard out of Kentucky was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 45 pick and then subsequently traded to the Thunder for a 2019 second round pick and cash considerations.

The trade could not be consummated until after the free agency moratorium was lifted on July 6th, but once that happened, Diallo became available to the Thunder to participate in the Las Vegas Summer League. Diallo played in all 5 games for the Thunder, averaging 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal per game on 49/44/56 shooting splits in 19.2 minutes of action. 

Diallo played one season at Kentucky, starting in every game for the Wildcats. He averaged 10 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 24.8 minutes of action. The Queens native comes into this season with a positive attitude after having a difficult season last year in Lexington.

“I went 45th in the draft, but I feel like the draft is over now,” Diallo said. “You can be the No. 1 pick or the 60th pick, it doesn’t matter. We’ve seen it happen multiple times where the No. 1 pick doesn’t pan out and the 60th pick does. So you just got to go out there and work hard and just always know that it’s not about your pick, it’s all about fit and how bad do you want it?”

The Diallo signing gives the Thunder 15 players under contract on their roster. This move pushes their total tax bill to over $240 million.