Diallo's third NBA season featured a career-high 64 appearances. While serving as post depth for the Pelicans, Diallo averaged 6.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and shot 62 percent from the field, all career highs for the 23-year-old. Uncertainty surrounding the future of Anthony Davis with the team opened the door for more opportunities for Diallo, who averaged 9.4 points across 16.5 minutes during an eight-game stretch without Davis from Jan. 21 to Feb. 6. In the last eight games of the year without Davis, Diallo averaged 8.1 points on 68.4 percent shooting. On the year, he recorded 10 double-doubles, highlighted by a 16-point, 18-rebound performance against the Pacers on Feb. 22. Most of Diallo's success came after the All-Star game, when his minutes average rose to 19.0 after averaging 11.2 in games played prior to the break. In 23 second-half contests, Diallo averaged 8.9 points and 7.6 rebounds. He played in every game from Jan. 24 onward. His game continues to develop at both ends of the floor, but Diallo showed plenty of positive glimpses throughout the 2018-19 season and is in a good position to improve on what was an impactful third season in the NBA.

After a rookie season in which he appeared in just 17 NBA games and mostly worked in the D-League, Diallo got a lot more run in his sophomore campaign. The Kentucky product appeared in 52 games for New Orleans, averaging 11.2 minutes per contest. He didn't pick up any starts but saw more than 20 minutes on six different occasions later in the season as he emerged as a part of the rotation. Diallo shot a robust 58.0 percent from the field and scored 15.7 points per 36 minutes. He did not attempt a single three-pointer, as he worked almost exclusively in the paint to take advantage of his length and athleticism. Diallo also flashed as a rebounder, grabbing 13.1 rebounds per 36 minutes. He scored a season-high 17 points against Boston on March 18. Diallo grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds against Dallas on March 4. He also scored 13 points in that game to give him one of the three double-doubles he recorded on the year. Defensively, Diallo blocked 1.3 shots per 36 minutes and had a season-high three blocks against Washington on March 9.

Diallo was taken in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft but still had quite a bit of development to undergo after his one-and-done season at Kansas. As a result, he saw limited run as a rookie, appearing in 17 games. He began to shine toward the end of the season when given the chance, however, playing more games in April than any other month. Diallo finished the year strong, tallying 11.0 points and 9.8 rebounds over the last four games. He also added four blocks over that stretch. Diallo recorded a double-double in each of the last two games, which included a career-high 19 points on April 11. The very next day, Diallo had a career high in rebounding with 16. Prior to that, he spent time with three D-League teams and appeared in a total of 26 games (21 starts). With averages of 15.0 points and 8.5 rebounds, Diallo showed New Orleans brass that he was ready for the late-season opportunity he ultimately received. He also impressed with defensive prowess, averaging 2.4 blocks per game in the D-League, which was good for the seventh-best mark in the league.