On July 12, the Denver Nuggets made a very interesting signing, bringing in 29-year-old rookie Alpha Diallo from the EuroLeague on a one-year, $1.4 million deal. At first, this move may seem insignificant, as few expect him to get much playing time. Most see it as a way for Denver to just round out their roster, but Diallo could end up being a pivotal addition for the Nuggets.
Who Is Alpha Diallo?
For those who haven’t heard of him, Alpha Diallo is a 6-foot-7 wing, who played four years of college ball at Providence, where he was named two-time Second-team All-Big East. After going undrafted in 2020, he played one year for Lavrio B.C. in the Greek league. Afterward, he joined French club AS Monaco, where he played from 2021 until 2026.
Across his five years in Europe, Diallo achieved tremendous success, both individually and with his team. He won the French league championship three times with Monaco. Additionally, Diallo earned league first-team honors twice and second-team honors twice while also being a two-time winner of the Best Defender award.
Despite his success in the French league, Diallo still had not grasped the attention of NBA executives. Last season, he was able to do just that. In the EuroLeague, where all of Europe’s best teams play, Diallo won the Best Defender award while leading the league in steals.
Diallo’s stats may not jump off the page. He only averaged about 10 points per game; he was a streaky shooter from three, and he wasn’t racking up assists or rebounds. However, this is not uncommon in European leagues, as the numbers seldom translate. In the French league, even superstar Victor Wembanyama only averaged over 9.4 points per game in one season. Even Luka Doncic never averaged over 16 points per game for Real Madrid.
The NBA has plenty of scorers. The best way for an NBA hopeful to earn a place in the league is to be a winner and a challenging defender. With his three league championships and Best Defender awards, Diallo embodies exactly that.
Translating to the NBA
The NBA is very different from the European leagues. Naturally, fans may wonder if Diallo will be able to hack it. Granted, the sample size for veterans coming from Europe to the NBA is small, and frankly unimpressive. However, Diallo has all the makings to be the exception. Thankfully for him, defense is one attribute of basketball that is universal.
Oftentimes, Defensive Player of the Year awards are won by guards or bigs, not wings. Diallo was the first wing to win the EuroLeague DPOY award since 2017. Expanding upon that notion, only one wing has won the two collegiate awards, the Naismith DPOY and NABC DPOY, respectively, since its inception in 2018. Those two wings were Matisse Thybulle and De’Andre Hunter, who have both carved out solid NBA careers.
The last wing to win the NBA DPOY was Kawhi Leonard in 2016. Simply put, for a wing to win the award, regardless of the league, they truly must be a special defender.
Something else the Nuggets had to consider when signing him was Diallo’s age. Some may view it as a detriment, believing he has already peaked. But it may prove to be an advantage. The Nuggets are a veteran team contending for a championship. The last thing they need is an inexperienced youngster whom they have to develop. Diallo is a veteran and a proven winner who can fit seamlessly on the squad and mesh with the team culture.
In the Perfect Situation
Admittedly, there are likely plenty of NBA teams where Diallo would not be immediately getting opportunities. Denver is a perfect landing spot for him.
Despite being first in offensive rating last season, the Nuggets struggled defensively, finishing outside the top 20. Their poor defense played a massive role in their embarrassing first-round loss to the undermanned Timberwolves. With his defensive prowess, coach David Adelman will surely find ways to get Diallo on the court to supplement their woes.
Diallo’s prospective opportunities on the court extend beyond just defensive needs. The Nuggets have a serious depth issue at the wing position. Of their starting wings, Christian Braun completely under-performed while new acquisition, Cameron Johnson, had some disappointing stretches. Denver somewhat addressed the issue by bringing in six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, but that’s about all they did this offseason.
While DeRozan and Spencer Jones have two of the five bench spots locked up, the rest are somewhat up for grabs. Granted, Diallo will likely not be getting reps at point guard or center, but the opportunity remains.
Additionally, Julian Strawther, who was expected to start the year as the backup shooting guard, will be sidelined with a knee injury until December. Thus, with poor wing depth, defensive concerns, and an opening at the position, the Nuggets almost have to give Diallo a decent role to start the year.
What Will Diallo’s Year Look Like?
The returns in Diallo’s first game with the Nuggets were good as far as his role goes. He played a total of 22 minutes off the bench, scoring four points on 2-of-4 from the field. He was a +1 in the Nuggets’ 12-point loss to the Thunder.
However, with a strong starting lineup and key bench guys like DeRozan and Jones, 20 minutes per game for him seems like his ceiling over the course of the full season.
Nevertheless, he truly could establish himself as a useful bench piece. For instance, Jones was virtually unknown at the start of last year. Through rough defense, hustle, and an efficient three-ball, he became invaluable for Denver. Diallo could follow a similar path.
The defense and hustle are absolutely there. The main question about Diallo revolves around his shooting. He hasn’t been very consistent, but he has shown flashes, shooting over 40% in the EuroLeague in 2024 and 2025.
On paper, Diallo is a perfect fit for Denver. They desperately need better wing defenders, and they got a great one for under $2 million. Playing great defense truly is the best way to earn minutes. If he can defend in the NBA at a high level and his shot starts falling, he’ll be hard to keep off the court. Few know his name right now, but that may not be the case by the end of the season.
Leave a comment