Ousmane Dieng Ready to Contribute After G League Stint

The Thunder need its 2022 lottery pick to step up and play meaningful minutes after a solid stretch in the G League.

After starting the season playing valuable minutes for the Thunder, Ousmane Dieng spent some time refining his game in the G League. It's always important for young players to be able to stretch their arsenal with the Oklahoma City Blue and play freely to gain confidence.

That's just what Dieng did. He took plenty of shots and tried to establish an offensive rhythm before rejoining the Thunder recently.

Dieng played three total games with the Blue and got plenty of practice reps while he was with the team. In those three games, he averaged 16.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and was a plus-4.3 on the court. He couldn’t break out of his shooting slump, averaging 37.5% from the floor and 30.4% from 3-point range.

His defense was terrific, as it has been in stretches with the Thunder this season, averaging 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. If he can just be a versatile defender and a solid rebounder, he’ll be able to help the Thunder.

In his return to the Oklahoma City lineup on Saturday night, Dieng missed his only two shot attempts but found a way to have an impact on the floor. He was a plus-eight in eight minutes players and recorded a rebound and two assists. He looked like a solid connected, and that’s what Mark Daigneault is looking for.

“I thought he had a really good practice today. He had a strong outing (yesterday)," Daigneault told a group of reporters per Clemente Almanza. "He’s gotta keep coming. It’s a long road for him. He’s gotta take his opportunities, play really hard, compete.”

Mark Daigneault on Ousmane Dieng: “I thought he had a really good practice today. He had a strong outing (yesterday). He’s gotta keep coming. It’s a long road for him. He’s gotta take his opportunities, play really hard, compete.”

— Clemente Almanza (@CAlmanza1007) November 26, 2023

He certainly has a long ways to go in his overall development, but he has characteristics that can help the Thunder win now. Defense and rebounding are the main two areas for a player like Dieng. His size at 6-foot-10 is exactly what Oklahoma City needs off the bench.

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