French forward Ousmane Dieng is entering the 2022 NBA draft, he told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony.
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Dieng is viewed by ESPN as the No. 12 prospect in this year’s class, according to the report from Wojnarowski and Givony, though he currently shows up at No. 18 on ESPN’s actual top-100 list. Either way, he’s considered a potential lottery pick after a promising season with the New Zealand Breakers.
The first European star to take advantage of the National Basketball League’s Next Stars program for young prospects, Dieng faced older, more seasoned competition in 2021/22 and acquitted himself well, according to Givony.
“Playing in a tough league with really good players was really good for me,” Dieng told ESPN. “I learned a lot. The transition was significant, going up against much better players than I saw in France. The game is faster. Everyone is more physical.”
Dieng, who got better as the NBL season progressed, is considered a very strong passer and defender, with the versatility to guard multiple positions, says Givony. The 18-year-old told ESPN that Scottie Barnes and fellow Frenchman Nicolas Batum are among the players he has studied and whose games he believes he can emulate.