re: Ousmane Dieng

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Dieng did not measure at the combine, which should not affect his draft stock in either direction honestly. Every NBA organization already knows what they are getting with Dieng, in terms of his athleticism and size, if they select him. His athleticism is visibly functional when watching tape, and there are not many questions about his height and length. Below are the measurements for Dieng, which are not “NBA Combine official” but are likely to be accurate.

Age: 19 Height: 6’10” Weight: 215 lbs Wingspan: 7’0” Position: Small Forward College/ Professional Team: New Zealand Breakers

Strengths: The first things that pop off the screen for Dieng are his height and length, which are most apparent on the defensive end of the floor. Despite being a teenager, Dieng is already used to guarding professional players of more than just one position. As he puts more muscle on his body, he could become an elite NBA defender due to his length, size, and impressive defensive instincts (walling up on drives, block/jump timing, etc…). On offense, he has flashes of brilliance in the pick-and-roll, utilizing a consistent floater to keep defenders honest. There are even moments of upside as a scorer, whether through a step-back jump shot or a few dribble combos to get by a weaker defender.

Weaknesses: Dieng’s jump shot is one of the most glaring weaknesses in his game, but his mechanics aren’t terrible by any stretch of the imagination. He has plenty of time to improve his shooting, though. I love Dieng’s floater, but I have concerns about other finishing moves and touch around the rim. His finishes (beyond floaters) frequently lack some fluidity, which will need to improve; however, he has plenty of time to get there. Dieng will also need to put on some more weight and muscle if he wants to effectively finish around the rim in the NBA.

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You obviously either haven’t watched any film on Dieng or know nothing about basketball

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Everything he said is 100% true. Dieng does avoid contact at all costs. Of all the "high ceiling" prospects in this class, he's the one I think is least likely to reach that ceiling.

He's not explosive, strong, or crafty. He isnt a good shooter, he isn't a good defender. He is a decent playmaker for his size. He has good handles for his size. Basically he's a 6'10 guard with smooth handles, but that's essentially all he is right now.

He played really bad in the NBL, which isn't very strong competition, except for the last 15 games.

He does shy away from contact, much like Lonzo did, so he doesn't really use his size advantage.

I just don't like Dieng as a prospect, atleast not in the lottery. He and Griffin are the only two non-bigman players I've been vocal about not wanting.

I think both will underperform their draft position. Just my opinion, I could always be wrong. But if you haven't watched much tape on the guy yourself, then you should before you just buy into the hype.