New Orleans rookie Cheick Diallo has one of the most unique stories of any NBA player, as a native of the African nation of Mali who moved to the United States to pursue his dream of playing basketball in America. Diallo played high school basketball on Long Island, and was named MVP of the ballyhooed annual McDonald’s game for the top scholastic players in the country. He went on to play one college season at Kansas in 2015-16, then declared for the draft and was selected No. 33 overall, officially by the Los Angeles Clippers. He was traded to the Pelicans on draft night.
Off the Court: Pelicans forward Cheick Diallo
