2015 NBA Draft: 5 international bigs for Magic’s No. 51 overall pick
2) Moussa Diagne (Fuenlabreda) C
There has been a parade of hits and misses coming into the league from Africa, spurred by Manute Bol and Dikembe Mutombo’s successes some two-plus decades ago. Not all of these guys ever adapt to life in the U.S., never mind the rigors of NBA play.
That said, here is another one.
Moussa Diagne hails from Senegal, and the 21 year old would be a huge success for the French colony.
He is too thin, a theme we are seeing repeated with these second round type of talents. But he is the No. 13 rated center prospect in the draft and he is 6-foot-10 with a 9-foot-3 standing reach.
Could he eventually be the rim protector Orlando needs?
It is a bit of a long shot, but in the ACB League in Spain he averaged over two blocks per-36, while scoring 4.3 points per game. He has just a 27 inch no-step vert, but given his reach that is enough to contest, change and block shots.
It is worth noting only one or two players from Senegal have had sustained success in the league, Gorgui Dieng and DeSagana Diop. Dieng starred at Louisville and learned the game of basketball well enough to have now appeared in 133 games in what is becoming a very good career.
DeSagana Diop experienced some success as a solid defender and powerful pick and roll defender, but the rest of the NBA players from Senegal have been busts.
There have been three swings and misses with the last name N’Diaye alone (Hamady, Makhtar and Mamadou). It is a long shot if not just for that.
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