Mouhamed Dioubate has become Jahvon Quinerly’s favorite Alabama basketball players to watch. Quinerly, the former Crimson Tide guard, has one simple reason.
“He reminds me so much of Herb Jones,” said Quinerly, who played with Jones. “Every time I watch Mo, I see Herb sometimes. How much the fan base loves Herb and what he brings to the table, I think Mo D also brings that to the table for this team. That’s really the heartbeat.”
Quinerly spent two seasons playing with Jones, who was named the SEC player of the year in 2021 before the New Orleans Pelicans selected him in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft. He’s now in his fourth NBA season. Quinerly’s not the only one who has made the comparison between Jones and Dioubate. Alabama coach Nate Oats has, too.
The comparison is no accident. Jones is not only similar to Dioubate but also a mentor to him.
“Shoutout to Herb,” Dioubate said. “I talk to him often.”
About a month ago, Jones spent time in Tuscaloosa doing rehab after surgery for a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. During that time, Dioubate saw Jones every day.
“We would have conversations about basketball and conversations outside of basketball as well,” Dioubate said. “Just a friendship. Like a big brother type of thing.”
Dioubate and Jones text some too. Jones has been known to text feedback to Dioubate after Alabama games.
You could have done this better.
Or ...
You played really well.
Or ...
Don’t worry y’all got the next one.
Jones is willing to give all sorts of advice to Dioubate.
“He’s just told me, ‘keep doing the dirty work,‘” Dioubate said. “It’s all going to payoff. The next level, that’s what a lot of teams are looking for. He just told me, ‘keep staying in the gym. Keep worrying about the important things on the court. Everything else is going to take care of itself once you worry about the hustle plays and all the blue collar stuff.‘”
Dioubate is happy to take the advice, and he’s good with the comparison too. That was part of the pitch when Alabama recruited him from Queens. Oats did so the first time he called Dioubate.
You could be like Herb Jones.
There are differences between Jones and Dioubate, no doubt, but there are plenty of similarities.
“I think our defensive traits are similar,” Dioubate said. “We’re both lefties. When Herb first came, his first two years of college, I believe he wore number 10, which I didn’t know that until after I had the number. We make the right reads. Play in the pocket well. We’ve both got good length. Good IQ as well.”
Dioubate probably would not mind if the comparison extends to career success as well.
Next up, Dioubate and No. 2 seed Alabama will face No. 6 seed BYU in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday (6:09 p.m. CT, CBS) at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer forFollow him on X and the Alabama Media Group.Follow him on X andInstagram.