Cheick Diallo Makes Emphatic Debut With A Mailman Dunk Against Loyola

Chieck Diallo finally made his NCAA debut on Tuesday night and immediately showed what all the hype was about.

The Kansas forward began the season serving a five game suspension for receiving a limited amount on impermissible benefits. There were also questions about the legitimacy of his high school coursework.

On the court, though, the freshman put all of that drama behind him. He finished the game with 13 points and six rebounds as the Jayhawks routed the University of Loyola (Maryland). Diallo’s signature moment, however, came when the game was already out of reach.

With five minutes remaining in the game, the forward corralled a loose ball for an uncontested breakaway. Sensing the chance to put an exclamation point on the win, he went up for the dunk while tucking his off-hand behind his head ala Karl Malone.

Head coach Bill Self appreciated his new player’s ability, but was less fond of the style. That was nice,” Self said of the dunk. “I told him after, ‘Cheick, we don’t do that.’ But that’s what he did.”