I have a lot of belief in Ous, guy seems confident dribbling in traffic. Idk something seems like he’s still not comfy with contact but much better. I think he has the raw tools, just needs confidence and more presence in the game. Question is can he play well with limited on ball usage?
southpawFA
I want to see his Olympic play. If he’s playing well for Team France, and he looks more comfortable out there, the I expect some better things for him year 3. He’ll basically be a rookie, being he just turned 21. I want to see him shoot it better, like he did in the championship. His shot looks improved. I hope he can be in the 2nd unit, so we can start seeing his ability to be a hybrid 4 come to use. He’s got amazing measurables that would really go a long way towards completing the team fabric.
okie-poke
15/8/7 on 53/41/84 splits
Egg_Yolkeo55
MIP candidate.
Missing piece in our rotation. Averages 13/8/3 with respectable shooting and passable defense.
justtheshow
I hope I’m wrong, but he basically only played in the g league for two years. He’s probably a g league level player..
dogfan20
Darius Bazely part 2 but with less confidence
Thetallshot
I’m hopeful for him…a 6’10” wing is something we’d LOVE to have. I’m hoping he can be more assertive, give us 15+ mins as a 3/4 hybrid and average 8pts/4reb I’d be ecstatic.
I know a lot of people don’t believe in him much because he’s spent the majority of his time in the G League and very limited minutes with the Thunder, but I wonder if that’s been the plan to bring him along. OKC turned a corner this year with our roster and the minutes for a developing player just aren’t there currently. Obviously there’s no way of knowing this for sure, but it seems like sound reasoning.
We also saw him take on leadership responsibilities with the Blue and step in and be more assertive. He also improved in several metrics in the G League playoffs….he shot 36% from 3 (up from 32%). He shot well from the FT ((70% vs 89%), more blocks (.8 vs 1.5)…nothing startling, but encouraging improvements. (and even game 1 against Dallas when he scored 13/4/1)
All that’s to say that this off-season is going to be really important and if he’s going to pop (with OKC) then this needs to be his moment. I also think that Presti may give a clue as to his belief in him based on who he drafts. If he grabs a jumbo 3/4 (Buzelis, Salaun, etc) then that might be a sign…
Thunder141
I think he’ll be like a Kenny Hustle, JWill or Wiggins type of role player this season. Like 10-18 minutes most games. I’ll say he plays pretty well and averages like 7.5 ppg on 43/38/80 splits with 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
dougbeck9
MVP or he’s a bust.
RUSHtheRACKS
OUSMANE next up. You watch
LoxDnw
Still surprised he didn’t play much for a team that plays 11-13 man lineups all the time, and preaches development. He is literally the ideal of what we need, size, frame, skills, let him grow in nba games.
boybraden
He’s going to look really solid on the Jazz and they’ll end up content with the Lauri trade after first being outraged we didn’t include Jdub
omgitsthepast
We’ve seen Presti handle situations like this before, a player entering year 3 who still hasn’t quite found is footing in the NBA. What does he usually do? He puts them in an bigger role and lets the sink or swim.
Bazely was our starting PF opening night year 3, Poku was our starting center opening night year 3, Tre Mann didn’t start (the team was a lot better) but had a bigger role in the start of year 3. All were kinda quickly pulled from that role when it seemed they couldn’t handle it.
So I’d expect Dieng to get a good run in the first couple of weeks of the seasons and see what he’s got. NBA history is not too kind on people who are still unable to crack a rotation by the end of their second year however.
If he doesn’t work out then he’s probably moved at the trade deadline for a second or something.
Razorback_Thunder
I’m optimistic he can come in and give us 15 mpg of 5-out backup big minutes as part of a rotation with J-Will and Kenrich. I’m also confident that if he can’t handle that, we have contingency plans in place.
TruckThunders00
Poku before he got hurt.
GooseGang412
If he can successfully fill the role we *hoped* Gordo would fill post all-star break (bench-quality connecting forward who can score in spurts), that would be excellent.
My platonic ideal for Ous as a rotation piece is basically Long Aaron Wiggins. If he’s capable of being Wiggs but 6’10, that’s all I could really ask for.
arj328
I expect him to get 15 mpg at the start of the season and look like he deserves them all season.
If he can make C&S 3s at a league average percentage at least, continue to be a solid to good on ball defender at 6’10, and not make too many mistakes off ball, he will look like an NBA player. This is kinda all I’m expecting to see next season.
Beyond that, if he can move the needle on the boards, do damage off the dribble with his scoring and passing, and start getting some stocks, he will have made a significant leap and I will do a victory lap as a #DiengGang believer.
Something to watch is how much responsibility he gets with the ball. A big part of his last g league stint was making him function as a point guard and he had a bunch of triple doubles.
Coherent-Paradox
There’s only one person on the current Thunder roster with a finals MVP, so you do the math.
18 Comments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4z5Jm3CT3c
I have a lot of belief in Ous, guy seems confident dribbling in traffic. Idk something seems like he’s still not comfy with contact but much better. I think he has the raw tools, just needs confidence and more presence in the game.
Question is can he play well with limited on ball usage?
I want to see his Olympic play. If he’s playing well for Team France, and he looks more comfortable out there, the I expect some better things for him year 3. He’ll basically be a rookie, being he just turned 21. I want to see him shoot it better, like he did in the championship. His shot looks improved. I hope he can be in the 2nd unit, so we can start seeing his ability to be a hybrid 4 come to use. He’s got amazing measurables that would really go a long way towards completing the team fabric.
15/8/7 on 53/41/84 splits
MIP candidate.
Missing piece in our rotation. Averages 13/8/3 with respectable shooting and passable defense.
I hope I’m wrong, but he basically only played in the g league for two years. He’s probably a g league level player..
Darius Bazely part 2 but with less confidence
I’m hopeful for him…a 6’10” wing is something we’d LOVE to have. I’m hoping he can be more assertive, give us 15+ mins as a 3/4 hybrid and average 8pts/4reb I’d be ecstatic.
I know a lot of people don’t believe in him much because he’s spent the majority of his time in the G League and very limited minutes with the Thunder, but I wonder if that’s been the plan to bring him along. OKC turned a corner this year with our roster and the minutes for a developing player just aren’t there currently. Obviously there’s no way of knowing this for sure, but it seems like sound reasoning.
We also saw him take on leadership responsibilities with the Blue and step in and be more assertive. He also improved in several metrics in the G League playoffs….he shot 36% from 3 (up from 32%). He shot well from the FT ((70% vs 89%), more blocks (.8 vs 1.5)…nothing startling, but encouraging improvements. (and even game 1 against Dallas when he scored 13/4/1)
All that’s to say that this off-season is going to be really important and if he’s going to pop (with OKC) then this needs to be his moment. I also think that Presti may give a clue as to his belief in him based on who he drafts. If he grabs a jumbo 3/4 (Buzelis, Salaun, etc) then that might be a sign…
I think he’ll be like a Kenny Hustle, JWill or Wiggins type of role player this season. Like 10-18 minutes most games. I’ll say he plays pretty well and averages like 7.5 ppg on 43/38/80 splits with 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
MVP or he’s a bust.
OUSMANE next up. You watch
Still surprised he didn’t play much for a team that plays 11-13 man lineups all the time, and preaches development. He is literally the ideal of what we need, size, frame, skills, let him grow in nba games.
He’s going to look really solid on the Jazz and they’ll end up content with the Lauri trade after first being outraged we didn’t include Jdub
We’ve seen Presti handle situations like this before, a player entering year 3 who still hasn’t quite found is footing in the NBA. What does he usually do? He puts them in an bigger role and lets the sink or swim.
Bazely was our starting PF opening night year 3, Poku was our starting center opening night year 3, Tre Mann didn’t start (the team was a lot better) but had a bigger role in the start of year 3. All were kinda quickly pulled from that role when it seemed they couldn’t handle it.
So I’d expect Dieng to get a good run in the first couple of weeks of the seasons and see what he’s got. NBA history is not too kind on people who are still unable to crack a rotation by the end of their second year however.
If he doesn’t work out then he’s probably moved at the trade deadline for a second or something.
I’m optimistic he can come in and give us 15 mpg of 5-out backup big minutes as part of a rotation with J-Will and Kenrich. I’m also confident that if he can’t handle that, we have contingency plans in place.
Poku before he got hurt.
If he can successfully fill the role we *hoped* Gordo would fill post all-star break (bench-quality connecting forward who can score in spurts), that would be excellent.
My platonic ideal for Ous as a rotation piece is basically Long Aaron Wiggins. If he’s capable of being Wiggs but 6’10, that’s all I could really ask for.
I expect him to get 15 mpg at the start of the season and look like he deserves them all season.
If he can make C&S 3s at a league average percentage at least, continue to be a solid to good on ball defender at 6’10, and not make too many mistakes off ball, he will look like an NBA player. This is kinda all I’m expecting to see next season.
Beyond that, if he can move the needle on the boards, do damage off the dribble with his scoring and passing, and start getting some stocks, he will have made a significant leap and I will do a victory lap as a #DiengGang believer.
Something to watch is how much responsibility he gets with the ball. A big part of his last g league stint was making him function as a point guard and he had a bunch of triple doubles.
There’s only one person on the current Thunder roster with a finals MVP, so you do the math.