The Intriguing Possibilities of Mohamed Diawara

Drafting in the second round of the NBA Draft is mostly a lottery ticket, especially in the last fifteen picks. Sometimes you get lucky like the Spurs in 1999 (Manu Ginobili, 57th pick) or the Jazz in 1986 (Jeff Hornacek, 46th pick). The biggest second-round outlier is Nikola Jokic, who went from the 41st pick in 2014 to the best player on the planet.

Those players are the exception to the rule, the aspirational hope that every GM hopes their second-round pick will turn into. More often than not, they are project players who last a few years in the league before going to the G League or overseas.

Mohamed Diawara was selected with the 51st pick by the Knicks this past draft using that same methodology. He possessed many of the physical traits of a good NBA player but had little track record of that potential in France’s LNB, where he only averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. In his rookie season, Diawara has shown flashes, making us wonder what the future holds for the 20-year-old Frenchman.

Diawara has the sort of measurables coveted in today's NBA. He stands at 6'9" with a 7'4" wingspan and 9'2" standing reach. He has enough length to cover bigs while also possessing quick enough feet to stay with guards on the perimeter. He is the sort of physical Swiss Army Knife that GMs in the NBA covet above all else.

The natural measurable comparison to make for Diawara is Kevin Durant, who also has a wingspan of 7'4”. But then again, his measurables aren't that far off from former Knick Obi Toppin (6'8" tall, 7'2" wingspan), so these are often not an indication of what the player will become. However, much of his game feels inspired by a mix of Durant and Pascal Siakam, which is a lofty expectation to strive for.

What makes Diawara such a fascinating prospect is his fluidity defensively and general feel for the game. We saw this recently against the Celtics, as he often found himself in the right place at the right time en route to going 4/4 from the field in the Knicks’ win. In that matchup, he showed himself as a capable role man on multiple actions, was proficient off the catch, and showcased his passing ability when he found a cutting Mikal Bridges.

There is a rawness to his game that shows he still has a lot of work to do. While he shows fluidity at times, there can also be a lack of control that leads to mistakes when he attacks the basket. He navigates screens well but can sometimes put himself in difficult situations as well. But when the flashes are there, you can squint and see what he might become. His feel in the pick and roll, the point of attack defense, and his vision as a passer are all indications of, at the very least, a very viable NBA rotation player.

The question truly will become: what could he be in the next few years? Mike Brown has shown a willingness to give him an opportunity over some of the other Knicks bench players. Diawara has appeared in 43 games this season and has started in six of them—more than Pacome Dadiet and Ariel Hukporti. What he has shown so far in limited moments tells the story of a player whose ceiling may be higher than we imagined.

The raw traditional stats for Diawara are relatively unimpressive. He only averages 6.5 minutes, 2.5 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game. Those numbers don't tell a complete story since there is a high level of variance per appearance. In the six games that he played more than 15 minutes, Diawara has averaged 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1 assist, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks. His shooting in those games has been efficient, shooting 55% from the field and 47% from three on three attempts per game.

Diawara has shown a proficiency in shooting the three, which is likely why Mike Brown has continued to trust him on the floor versus other options off the bench. At 42% from three on the season, Diawara ranks in the 86th percentile among bigs. While his sample size from the midrange is incredibly small (only nine shots this season), he has shown an ability to hit that shot (he has made 7 of his 9 attempts).

Defensively, Diawara has already shown off his versatility in short spurts, often posing matchup problems on switches. His length has also allowed him to play the passing lanes incredibly well. His steal rate is 2.0%, which is in the 96th percentile for bigs this season.

All of these breadcrumbs are what makes Diawara such a fascinating study when it comes to these Knicks. With the departure of Guerschon Yabusele at the trade deadline, it stands to reason that Diawara could get more minutes over the home stretch of the regular season.

His profile indicates a player who could take a leap into being an imposing two-way big who can put it on the floor and create when asked to do so. This could all be pie in the sky thinking, and he could simply just be an okay role player.

But his defensive instincts, the progression of his game's fluidity, and his improved passing ability tell a different story—the story of a player who in a few years' time could be a key rotational piece for the future of the Knicks or even develop into a quality starter. We are all so focused on the mission of this year to win a title. But behind of all that, in the back of our minds, we see in Diawara what a foundational piece of the future could be.