It’s far too early to make any bold claims about Ousmane Dieng. The 6’9” small forward has only played six games with NZ Breakers of the NBL and has only averaged 17 minutes in them. However, here is what I’ve gathered so far...
At just 18 years old, Dieng looks like a smooth and comfortable operator with the ball at his hands, though his lack of strength certainly stands out in the physical NBL. He uses his length and elite feel for the game to weave through defenses and create space for solid looks. He’s struggling to knock down those open looks though, shooting just 21% from the field on 6.17 attempts and a dismal 9% from three-point range on 3.5 attempts.
Those numbers are certainly alarming, especially considering he’s never knocked down shots at a high rate. But I look at him the same way a lot of folks looked at Jonathan Kuminga last year. He’s a young guy trying to adjust to a tough league. He still shows a great feel for the game, acceptable shooting mechanics, a smooth, high release, and confidence, which are enough for me to ignore the numbers for now and keep him on my radar.
Dieng also looks to be a solid passer, another indicator of his feel for the game. He operates the pick-and-roll as a ball handler very well and has a lot of potential as a secondary playmaker early in his career, possibly a primary initiator at some point.
Again, we only have a small sample of games and minutes to use, but Dieng’s IQ and feel for the game show up on defense, too. He’s flashed the ability to hang with guards, defend in the post, and be a disruptor as a help defender despite a massive strength disadvantage.
He’s incredibly raw, but the prospect of a 6’9” lengthy, playmaking wing that is versatile on the defensive end keeps Dieng firmly near the top of the list of international prospects to keep an eye on.
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