Make no mistake, Danny Sprinkle is as excited as anyone for international prospect Dominique Diomande’s arrival to Washington. With a gauntlet of five consecutive ranked opponents next up on the schedule, some fans have taken to social media to share their excitement about the boost the potential NBA prospect could bring to the roster.
However, during his weekly press conference, Sprinkle tried to temper the expectations around the 6-foot-8, 190-pound forward and wouldn’t commit to when he might make his college debut.
“I would love it if that’s the case,” Sprinkle said when asked if Diomande could provide an immediate impact. “But I do think it’s unrealistic, he’s still 18 years old, he’s coming from a different country, and we have guys who have been practicing since June that know the plays, know what we expect, have done all the drills. To expect him to come in and whenever he gets here and we’ll just throw him in against Purdue, that’s not fair.”
While Sprinkle wouldn’t commit to any particular date for his first appearance, he knows Diomande, who has spent the last three years playing professionally in France, where he averaged 16 points and 6 rebounds per game, has a bright future ahead on Montlake.
“Is he talented? Yeah, he is. I’m really excited to get him on the court and coach him and really see what he can do, what he can’t do, and things like that. But I do know from watching a lot of film and talking to a lot of high-level scouts, and even some NBA scouts that have seen him, they love his versatility, being 6-foot-7 and long, really fast-twitch, aggressive, and that’s something we really don’t have right now.”
“My expectations for all my guys are high, but until I really see him and work with him and get a feel for who he is, I don’t know what I can expect right now.”