Knicks Rookie Quietly Making Large Impact in New York

Mohamed Diawara, the Knicks' second-round rookie, has quietly made a major impact on the team as New York pursues an NBA championship.

Feb 8, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara (51) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) react after a play against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

A year ago, you'd be shocked to see the New York Knicks giving a rookie legitimate rotation minutes. Under Tom Thibodeau, they ran an extremely tight distribution of playing time, but with new head coach Mike Brown at the helm, the bench has expanded.

First-year player Mohamed Diawara has benefited from the coaching change, as Brown has displayed great trust in him. The No. 51 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft is averaging 6.5 minutes per game, but over his last three games, that number has increased to 20.3. As a result, he has put up 6.3 points a night.

Most recently, Diawara played 26 minutes in New York's 111-89 blowout win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. The 6-foot-9 wing put up 10 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the field and 2-for-2 from three.

Diawara has great two-way potential as an athletic forward with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and a 9-foot-2 standing reach. He has had an impact on the Knicks' defense that goes beyond the stat sheet, forcing the ball out of opponents' hands.

According to databallr, when Diawara is on the floor this season, New York posts a 109.5 defensive rating. When he's not out there, that number drops to 114.1. Although the offense takes a dip during his minutes, he makes up for it on the other end of the floor.

Back in December, Brown praised his rookie after a career-high 18 points and two steals in a 130-125 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Diawara played just 18 minutes, shooting 7-for-9 from the field and 4-for-4 from three with zero turnovers.

"Just a lot of little things that you kind of watch and go, ‘Oh my gosh, wow.’ And all those things when you add them up to a possible opportunity it gives you more confidence as a coaching staff to throw him out there and say, okay let’s see what’s going to happen," Brown said.

As the Knicks pursue an NBA title at 34-19, good for second in the Eastern Conference, Diawara has continued to get opportunities against some of the league's best teams. Brown has brought new life into the rotation by expanding minutes for the bench.

Diawara may not be one of the NBA's top rookies, but he has proven to be one of the better steals of the 2025 draft. Keep an eye on the French forward as the season moves along.