NC State Basketball Alum Stuck on Bench in Summer League
The Los Angeles Lakers might've benefited from Mohamed Diarra's defensive prowess in the paint during their NBA 2K25 Summer League opener in Las Vegas on Friday. But the NC State basketball product, who played last season in Raleigh after spending a year at Missouri and is now on a Summer League contract with the Lakers, never heard his number called.
And Los Angeles fell to the Houston Rockets, 99-80.
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At the California Classic Summer League, which the Lakers concluded on Wednesday with an 0-3 record, the 23-year-old Diarra saw action in only one game, Sunday's 92-68 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Considering it was the 6-foot-10, 215-pound Frenchman's debut in an NBA jersey after going undrafted in June as an early entrant, his somewhat versatile stat line against the Warriors appeared promising at the time: one point, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, three blocks, one turnover, and zero fouls across 14 minutes off the bench.
Perhaps Mohamed Diarra, whose emergence as an NC State basketball double-double machine and consistent shot-blocker in the last few weeks of March helped fuel the Wolfpack's epic journey to the Final Four, will get another chance to display his abilities in the Lakers' next outing.
They square off against the Boston Celtics at 10:30 p.m. ET Monday (NBA TV).
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Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of NC State Wolfpack on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining NC State Wolfpack on SI in 2024, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.