OKC Thunder's Ousmane Dieng Needs to Find Consistency in Rest of Summer League

The Oklahoma City Thunder forward endured a shaky start to his 2024 Summer League, but has found more confidence in his last two games.

Dec 14, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Ousmane Dieng (13) shoots against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Ousmane Dieng's start to his 2024 Summer League was anything but pretty. While he stuffed the stat sheet against the Philadelphia 76ers with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, he shot an abysmal 3-of-14 from the field and looked uncomfortable offensively, doing little to prevent the Oklahoma City Thunder's first loss.

That quickly changed in the next day's win over the Utah Jazz, where Dieng dropped 20 points, five rebounds and five assists on a respectable 8-of-18 shooting night. He followed that up with 17 points, four rebounds, eight assists and four blocks in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies, but struggled yet again with his efficiency, shooting 7-of-20 from the field that included a 3-of-10 clip from behind the arc.

The 21-year-old has shown flashes of what he could be throughout his career and Summer League, but it just hasn't come to fruition. The main cause of that is the lack of consistency in his performances, which has already been evident through three games.

One night Dieng could be firing on all cylinders offensively and become a threat from the 3-pointer, while others he struggles to find a shot or downright loses all confidence. One night he could make a huge defensive impact, while others he may lack effort on that side of the game. When he's on he's on, but Oklahoma City hasn't received that consistently enough to warrant him receiving a large role, even in a bench capacity.

Summer League is the perfect opportunity for the forward to show that he can do it, but it'll have to quickly change once the Thunder reach Las Vegas. He's certainly been one of the top performers for it thus far, but his efficiency must increase from where it's been.

Oklahoma City would ideally be able to use Dieng in its bench wing rotation, but the poor shooting nights he's displayed won't cut it on a team competing for a championship. If he can solve that issue by the end of the Summer League, however, being granted a spot in the rotation is a possibility.

The Thunder has seen the potential in Dieng, or else he likely wouldn't be on the roster at this current moment. He has plenty of time to figure things out because of his young age, but if he can't start to find success soon, it may not be in Oklahoma City.

The next set of Summer League games will be a test for Dieng. As stereotypical as it is, the saying "consistency is key" perfectly applies here. It'll be the best way for him to prove his worth to the organization.

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