Can Ousmane Dieng Crack the OKC Thunder Rotation?

Will Year 3 of the Dieng experiment finally yield results?

Jan 11, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (13) runs down the court between plays against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Despite limited runtime, Ousmane Dieng remains a notable name for Oklahoma City Thunder fans.

Drafted in Oklahoma City’s 2022 lottery trio — which has a 66% hit rate on yielding star talents so far — Dieng is now the team’s longest running project, with several former Thunder players landing in Charlotte.

As a 6-foot-10 forward, he still has sky-high potential, despite little to show in his career just yet. Through two seasons, he’s averaged 4.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 13.0 minutes. In 72 total games, he’s shot 42% overall and just 28% from beyond the arc.

The frenchman was young when he came into the league, and still is at just 21. But time is somewhat running out for him to make his mark and earn a spot in Mark Daigneault’s rotation. 

Will it be possible for him to crack the best roster the team has had in a decade? There’s a few things working against Dieng, and a few things working in his favor.

The primary factor casting a negative over his chances are most simply his readiness. In three 2024 Summer League games, Dieng shot just 35% overall despite 40% from beyond the arc, failing to look the part around the rim. His failure to look head-and-shoulders above his peers at the Summer League stage doesn’t necessarily spell great things for his NBA chances next year.

Additionally, the Thunder have one of the best rosters and rotations in the NBA, meaning Dieng will have his hands full in earning playing time over more proven guys. 

A few things that could give Dieng hope are Daigneault’s unconventional style, and the team’s continued need for length.

Daigneault hasn’t been shy about reaching deep into OKC’s bag and rolling with unconventional rosters. And despite adding Isaiah Hartenstein this offseason, the team still has a heavy guard rotation earning the bulk of its minutes.

There’s a chance Dieng will see more minutes earlier in the season as Daigneault learns more about the roster, and he’ll need to make the most of those spot minutes in order to earn a full-time, nightly role. 

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