Moussa Diabaté's Reaction to NBA Hustle Award Says Everything About His Hornets Breakthrough

The Moose's hilarious response shows how much he values the little things.

Mar 4, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Moussa Diabate (14) during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Moussa Diabaté had a pretty honest first reaction to winning the NBA Hustle Award — "I didn't even know that was an award," Diabaté said with a laugh.

That line alone was funny enough, especially from a player whose entire NBA breakthrough has been built on the exact things the award is supposed to recognize. But Diabaté's answer quickly turned into something more meaningful, and probably a pretty good explanation of why he became such a valuable piece for the Charlotte Hornets in the first place.

After all, the NBA Hustle Award isn't about points, touches or highlight plays; it's about the kind of work that can get lost in a box score, even when it has a real impact. "The Moose" winning it says plenty about the way he plays. And his response said just as much about how he views the game.

"It's a statement to my work," Diabaté said. "I think that's what it comes down to. And I'm just happy. I think it's something that makes you realize how much the little things matter, right?"

🎙️ Moussa Diabate on winning the NBA Hustle Award: "I didn't even know that was an award." 😂

"It's a statement to my work. I think that's what it comes down to. And I'm just happy. I think it's something that makes you realize how much the little things matter, right?

"I just… pic.twitter.com/fur31vLUah

— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) May 27, 2026

That has been Diabaté's lane with Charlotte. He is not a player who needs plays called for him to affect a game. He does it by running the floor, crashing the glass, setting screens, battling in the paint, protecting possessions, and creating extra chances. Some of those plays show up in the numbers. A lot of them do not.

Diabaté also connected the award to a larger point about the modern NBA, where scoring numbers have exploded, and role players can sometimes feel pressure to measure their value in the same way stars do.

"I just saw this podcast … and [the host] was talking about how you see so much inflation in scoring and everybody scoring 30 points now," Diabaté said. "Those guys that do the little things, how impactful are they, how important that is to the day-to-day, whether in practice or in the games."

That is a good way to look at Diabaté's importance for the Hornets. On a team still trying to build a consistent identity, effort players matter. Reliable habits matter. The players who compete every possession, whether they are getting shots or not, help set a standard. For Diabaté, the award is more than a nice individual honor. It's validation that his approach to the game has real value.

"This impact matters so much, and I feel like as players sometimes we kind of forget it," Diabaté added. "We're just looking at the stats like, 'Man, you gotta score 30 points, you gotta do this and that.' But, man, it changed so much and brings so much to the team and to the organization."

The Hornets need high-end talent to keep growing, but they also need players who make the game easier around that talent. Diabaté has done that by embracing the work that does not always get the most attention.

He may not have known the NBA Hustle Award existed, but there might not have been a more fitting Hornets player to win it.

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