G-League champion and Finals MVP, averaging 17.3 points and 5.3 assists, Ousmane Dieng had a great season, from which he only remembers the positives, even if his performances in the NBA were much less. The Thunder winger only played 33 matches in the regular season and especially 7 minutes in total in the playoffs…
If this has not (yet) translated at the highest level, his progress in the antechamber of the league has nevertheless been noticed by the managers of the franchise.
“The last two months of the season with the OKC Blue were huge for him”, believes the GM Sam Presti. “He played important matches, had responsibilities. He accelerated his development during these G-League playoffs. We reversed his summer program and started him earlier because we believe he is potentially going to play for his national team and we needed to do as much as possible with him. But I was very happy with the way he finished the season. I was very satisfied with the way he finished the season. »
Making progress, but not yet ready to weigh
The Frenchman had expressed the same analysis as Sam Presti, estimating “ having climbed the ladder » over the last two months, playing high-stakes matches. So “the G-League playoffs really made me progress in my game”, he emphasized.
If he advances at his own pace, Ousmane Dieng is not yet ready to contribute to the Thunder, like the other young people who are Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren obviously, or even Cason Wallace and Jaylin Williams.
“Like every young player, he has a lot of work to do,” continues the leader. “When we drafted him, he was very, very young (19 years old). We knew that his path, his schedule would be different from those of Jalen Williams. He could go quickly on the floor. But Ousmane responded very well. I am satisfied. He's made great progress here. »
| Ousmane Dieng | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2022-23 | OKAY | 39 | 15 | 42.0 | 26.5 | 65.2 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 5.0 |
| 2023-24 | OKAY | 33 | 11 | 42.2 | 30.0 | 87.5 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 4.0 |
| Total | 72 | 13 | 42.1 | 28.0 | 74.4 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 4.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
