Curtis five-star guard Zoom Diallo transferring to prep school in California
Curtis High School guard Zoom Diallo is transferring to Prolific Prep in Napa, California for his senior year, he told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.
Diallo, considered a five-star recruit and one of the country’s top high school basketball prospects, led Curtis to back-to-back 4A state titles at the Tacoma Dome in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Diallo is rated the No. 13 prospect in the country in the 2024 class in ESPN’s Top 100. He was named the Tacoma News Tribune’s 2023 state player of the year, as well as the TNT’s All-Area player of the year, after leading the Vikings to their second consecutive state championship in the Tacoma Dome.
Diallo averaged 20.2 points, 5.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals in his junior season for Curtis. He scored 21 points against Olympia in the 4A state championship game. His elite ball handling, ability to stop direction on a dime, get to the rim at will and midrange pull-up jumper game gave opponents fits all season long. He was also named the state’s Gatorade player of the year this winter.
With teammates Tyce Paulsen and Cinque Maxwell graduating this spring, rumors of Diallo’s possible transfer had circulated after he hoisted the 4A state trophy at the Tacoma Dome. Diallo is considering Arizona, Gonzaga, Washington, Florida State and others.
DIALLO WAS WASHINGTON’S BEST PLAYER IN 2022-23
It was nearly impossible to speed up Daillo, the silky smooth 6-foot-4 guard and true three-level scorer.
Curtis coach Tim Kelly said Diallo is always under control.
“I think it’s his pace of play,” Kelly told The News Tribune in March. “He’s able to get by anybody and get to the rim. He’s got a great pull-up (jumper). … He can get into the lane, he kind of comes to that stop and he really powers up off his legs and gets up over people. Tough to stop and guard, and of course he’s got length and he’s strong.”
Federal Way coach Yattah Reed has coached plenty of talented players, including current Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels. He said he thinks Diallo is up there with the best of them.
“You can’t rush him,” Reed also told the TNT in March. “He does everything at his pace. You can’t rush him, you can’t rattle him in regards of trying to speed him up. You can’t get him out of his game. He’s going to get to his spots.”
