Ousmane Dieng’s Potential with the Thunder is Limitless
Ousmane Dieng is a rookie for the Oklahoma City Thunder that gets lost in the hype of the young squad.
He was one of the three lottery draft picks that the Thunder made in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Watching Dieng play, it’s hard to notice that he has a guard skill set at 6-foot-10, which fits the modern day NBA. In their most recent preseason game, Dieng scored 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting and 2-for-4 on 3-pointers. He put together a solid, efficient game, showing a glimpse of what he may be able to provide in the future.
The 6-foot-10 forward is only 19-years-old, which gives him more than enough time to grow. Also to his advantage, he gets to play with a young and evolving team, which will help him take steps forward and learn with as many reps as possible.
As of right now, Dieng is a two-way playmaker who’s got a high floor on both sides of the ball. He could easily become a solid defender because of his frame and IQ, and luckily he’s playing alongside one of the best defenders in the league in Lu Dort.
On the offensive side of the ball, Dieng has the skill set of a guard, but with his frame, he can play a bigger role in the pick-and-roll, which may be a threat if he can play-make as a roller.
His ceiling is amongst the highest in the draft if everything goes accordingly, and that includes his ability to improve his jump shot. He’s got a solid base in his shot, and with a few tweaks he may find himself as a solid shooter in this league.
In Darius Bazley’s make or break year, Dieng may be a prospect to take some of his minutes as he can play bigger if he needs to, and the offense would continue to flow, as Dieng is less of a ball-stopper compared to Bazley.
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