Knicks' Mohamed Diawara Is No Longer Hidden Gem

Over the weekend, the San Antonio Spurs tried to ghost 20-year old Mohamed Diawara and make him shoot no matter what. That's exactly what the rookie did as he hoisted up 13 3-point attempts in 15 minutes, putting him in the record books with .87 attempts per minute.

Head coach Mike Brown could only chuckle when hearing about the number of shots.

Mike Brown chuckles when he realizes Mo Diawara took 14 shots today against the Spurs pic.twitter.com/Y2SxUEhRru
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 1, 2026

The Knicks took a worthwhile flier on Jeremy Sochan, but that experiment should stay on the back burner. Brown has watched Diawara long enough this season to entrust the young Frenchman with consistent minutes and that last playoff rotation spot. He impresses in every game and the coach is taking notice.

"Mo is not afraid," Brown told SNY after the 114-89 trouncing of San Antonio. "He's the most confident young man I've been around. He's got a chance to be really good."

Diawara's versatility allows him to be used in a variety of roles and opens up an array of different lineup combinations. He has the ability to be a switchable defender and can even protect the rim. The youngster has a better feel to the game than expected as seen by his processing speed and passing vision that keeps the offense flowing.

Diawara Has All The Tools — Feb 27, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; New York Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara (51) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) in the second half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The physical tools are undeniable at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan and 9-foot-2 standing reach, but his. All those “little things” that we look for in a lot of players, he does them at a high level. And it doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet, but with the eye, you see it. The second-round lottery ticket is more than just a guy with a strong motor.

What's stood out specifically is his fluidity and shooting. While playing for Cholet Basket in France last season, Diawara shot just 31% from long distance. In summer league, he was 2 of 13 from three. That’s why on most night he’s the first Knick on the court working with Peter Patton, the team’s designated shooting coach.

That work ethic has helped him far outplayed his draft position. Does he go top 12 in a redraft at this very moment? He's shooting 39.8% from long distance and per-36 minutes, Diawara is averaging 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

Diawara Has Impressed More Than Most Rookies

The recent breakout means he'll likely cost New York sizeable money this summer. Despite logging more than 20 minutes just three times and averaging 3.1 points, many are worrying about Leon Rose not being able to retain him. It was a rare mistake not adding a team option or locking Diawara into a multi-year contract. However, he’s a restricted free agent and this isn’t an Isaiah Hartenstein situation where the Knicks can't match an offer.

Thanks to the Gilbert Arenas rule, which was implemented in 2005 to make it easier for teams to resign restricted free agent that weren't first-round picks, rival teams can’t offer Diawara a starting salary higher than the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception ($15.1 million next season), per Dan Favale of Fansided. The Knicks would have the right to match.

Could a team like Brooklyn, who have cap space and own a chunk of the Knicks future, dare Rose to match a lucrative offer sheet? While there aren't a lot of teams with cap space and they are limited to how much they can pay Diawara for the first two years, a frisky GM can "poison pill" his contract in the third and fourth years to make it harder for the Knicks to stomach.

The Knicks Have A Costly Off-Season Ahead

The plan since the Mikal Bridges trade was to duck the second apron this year and last and then go over with money off the books after 2027 and 2028. They’ll clearly be going north of that number if they want to bring back Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and now Diawara. It's all doable, it'll just cost James Dolan quite a few extra tax dollars.

It’s ironic because Diawara’s rookie scale contract is what helped the Knicks stay below the apron this year. It seemed that Diawara would be a stash candidate or someone spending all year in the G-League after being drafted 51st overall in June. His ascension has been that rapid.

Is it a hot take to say say Diawara has All-Star player upside ? Can he reach his Pascal Siakam ceiling or become a version of Luol Deng ? We should hold off on any grand proclamations, but it's hard not to be bullish on projecting forward given the way he's flashed on both sides of the ball in limited opportunities.

With each game, Diawara is proving that he's key to the Knicks' present and future.