Ousmane Dieng has been a revelation for the Milwaukee Bucks. In back-to-back games he set new career scoring highs, dropping 17 on the Magic and a team-high 19 against his former franchise on Thursday, the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It’s not just the scoring. Dieng also contributed 11 rebounds, six assists, and four blocks to fuel a decisive win over the defending champs. In his last two games, he is a combined 8-for-14 from deep. In short, he has flashed the talent one might expect out of a former 11th overall pick.
Filling in as head coach for Doc Rivers, Darvin Ham marveled at what Dieng has shown in his short time with the Bucks.
Bucks robbed the league blind if Dieng’s early promise is legit
“I think he’s just scratching the surface,” Ham said after Dieng dropped a vintage revenge performance on the road. “He’s so young and just his size, his athleticism, his smarts, some of the passes he made tonight, some of the finishes, threes, the defense, like he’s just scratching the surface. We found a jewel.”
Still just 22, Dieng never panned out with the Thunder, despite his raw tools. In part, he never had a chance to be unleashed. He topped out at 39 games averaging 14.6 minutes as a rookie. This season, he appeared in 27 contests in an off-and-on rotation role, averaging 3.7 points on 36.7% shooting from three, before the Thunder cut the cord.
Across 136 total games, Dieng averaged just 4.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, and one assist.
It’s worth asking whether his growth was stunted or aided by his time in OKC. Although he failed to crack the rotation, he did gain valuable experience as a member of two playoff teams and the 2025 champions. Is playing serious basketball in a lesser role worth more than having free rein for a tanking team like the Jazz or Wizards?
“They did a good job prepping him here. It’s like that sometimes. Sometimes you can have too many good players and so you have to part ways with some but we’re happy we were able to get him. He’s someone that’s going to help us in the immediate present and the future.”
Dieng’s early going in a Bucks jersey would certainly seem to back up Ham’s claim.
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