Now in his third season, Ousmane Dieng needs to show flashes of some kind.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder boasting one of the deepest rosters and best records in the NBA, Dieng’s opportunity has come in the G-League with the Oklahoma City Blue this season. After winning G-League Finals MVP last season, Dieng picked up where he left off last season Monday night. Dieng scored 29 points and dished out eight assists.
After falling down double-digits in the fourth quarter, Dieng and Buddy Boeheim led OKC back to within three in the final moments of the game. Trailing by three, Blue forward Miller Kopp was fouled on a 3-pointer and had a chance to tie the game. With the weight of the game on his shoulders, Kopp went 1-3 from the free throw line and OKC fell to Raptors 905 121-117 Despite Dieng’s strong outing.
“I thought we did a great job of getting back in the game,” Blue guard Buddy Boeheim said. “But obviously, it starts in the first half getting a lead early and playing our brand of basketball.
While a loss will sour the mood of many within the Blue, Dieng’s development is more important than any one result for the team.
When he was drafted, OKC envisioned Dieng becoming a lanky forward with elite versatility and a feel for the game that is rare at his size. While Dieng hasn’t come along at the same pace as his classmates Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, it is still within reach for him to carve out a spot as a rotation piece in the NBA.
When Dieng is playing well, the vision is clear. Monday, Dieng made 50% of his 3-point attempts and used his height to see over defenders and dish out assists, from lobs to pocket passes.
However, it is all too often that Dieng is timid in hunting his shot, even when playing in the G-League. Monday night was a good example of what can happen when Dieng aggressively seeks opportunities. He led the Blue in shot attempts and shot 58% from the field.
“In his second year, he did a lot of really good things,” Blue coach Kameron Woods said. “I think that’s given him the confidence when he’s out there on the floor to be really aggressive.”
If Dieng can turn bursts of aggression on the floor into a constant state of mind, there is no reason he can’t blossom into a good player at the NBA level. His combination of size, playmaking and fluidity is rare and if he can put them all together, his archetype is the most sought-after in the current ecosystem of the NBA.
It remains to be seen if Dieng will ever become a consistent contributor for the Thunder, but if he can permanently harness the aggression he played with at times on Monday night, he will likely stick around the NBA for a while.
“It’s a lot of fun playing with a guy like that who’s 6’8, can handle it and score on all three levels,” Boeheim said. “He’s unselfish, he always makes the right play.”
