Forward Alpha Diallo may have been signed to the Denver Nuggets to be a sit deep on the bench as an option, but he has a skillset that has impressed head coach David Adelman and could very well make Diallo a crucial player to rely on. 

The Nuggets signed Diallo to a one-year, $1.4 million contract in July after Diallo had impressed with a lengthy career played overseas, primarily with AS Monaco of the EuroLeague, and the impression that Diallo made while playing in the EuroLeague has seemingly carried over to the NBA so far. 

Standing at 6'7 and 210 pounds, Diallo has the kind of physicality that can make him a legitimate factor on both sides of the ball, and it's that well-roundedness of skill that has stood out to Adelman. 

"He can guard. He's got a special skill. He doesn't get screened. You can tell he played overseas, the physicality of what that is," Adelman said (via DNVR Nuggets). "I think offensively he's been impressive. Kind of like Spencer [Jones], he knows where to be at the right time."

It's telling that Diallo's defensive acumen stood out to Adelman first. The EuroLeague does have a reputation as a tougher, more physical and more defensively-minded league than the NBA, as many European players with experience in both leagues have said, and with Diallo's size and experience in that environment, he could be a defensive menace. 

That's exactly the kind of skill that the Nuggets want on their side. As impressive as Denver is offensively, the top players on the roster have been criticized in the past for not being the best defenders, something that Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels infamously called out during Round One of the 2026 playoffs. 

Upgrading that defense in any fashion is a huge plus for the Nuggets to have and it seems like Diallo is the man to deliver it. 

On the other side of the ball, Adelman's indication that Diallo has the instinctual skills to help out offensively is an encouraging sign. 

If he does have the same instincts as forward Spencer Jones, whom the Nuggets signed to two-year, $11.7 million contract earlier this offseason, then that is a huge positive for who he could grow to be as a player in the NBA. 

The Nuggets have a wealth of frontline talent, so the most critical thing that they can do as an organization to continue competing in the upper echelon of the NBA is to better round out the depth of the roster. 

Small moves to serve that purpose have dominated the Denver offseason, and Diallo, despite his lack of NBA experience, could prove to be one of the most exciting additions that the team has made.