Cheick Diallo unleashes a ‘Mailman’ dunk in his explosive debut for Kansas

Kansas only had to play five games without 5-star freshman Cheick Diallo, but it felt like an eternity while the NCAA took its sweet time to determine whether or not the big man would be eligible. Diallo made his debut against Loyola (MD) on Tuesday night, and made contributions on both ends of the floor as the Jayhawks ran away with a 94-61 victory.

Diallo ended the night with 13 points, six rebounds and three blocks on 6-of-8 shooting. He also threw down the Karl Malone imitation dunk you see above. For those who didn’t know:

Diallo’s integration into the lineup is essential for Kansas to reach its preseason potential. If you’re looking for a familiar comparison, think of him as a shorter Nerlens Noel. At 6’9, 220 pounds and with a 7’4 wingspan, Diallo is blessed with terrific speed and should able to provide rebounding, shot blocking and finishing around the rim for the Jayhawks right away.

He proved that in his debut. Kansas simply doesn’t have another big man on the roster who is capable of making a play above the rim like this:

Kansas shouldn’t be tested much before conference play kicks off against Baylor on Jan. 2. Next up for the Jayhawks: home games vs. Harvard, Holy Cross and Montana. Diallo should have plenty of time to get acclimated before things start getting serious. So far, so good.