NBA Draft Board: International Prospect Ousmane Dieng
In the 2022 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder own two selections in the lottery. One of the prospects who could fall in that range is Ousmane Dieng who most recently played internationally in the NBL.
Profile:
Among the most mysterious prospects in this class is Dieng, who could be a huge risk to select in this draft. He has great size for a wing prospect, but is extremely raw and inconsistent at this point in his career.
Strengths:
Even in the modern NBA, is rare to find prospects that can put the ball on the deck at 6-foot-10. Dieng is a crafty ball handler that is able to generate his own shot.
The NBL is a tough league, which is why it took quite a bit of time for Dieng to hit his stride last season. At 18 years old, it was a tale of two halves for him. Things started off rough, but eventually Dieng flipped a switch and showed the ability to score, create and even use his frame to be a plus defender at times.
Weaknesses:
Dieng’s ceiling will likely come down to his ability to shoot the ball. Last season in the NBL, he shooting splits were pretty abysmal from all over the court. While he improved as the season went on, the French forward was far from efficient.
From there, Dieng is also still learning how to use his body. This results in him often shying away from contact and making poor decisions in the flow of the offense. While the feel is certainly there, he just needs more reps and to get comfortable as he continues to fill out.
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