Mohamed Diawara selected No. 51 overall by Knicks | 2025 NBA Draft Grades & Instant Reaction

Mohamed Diawara selected No. 51 overall by Knicks | 2025 NBA Draft Grades & Instant Reaction

back here on CBS Sports HQ on the clock presented by Jeep Hakee Dermish alongside 247 sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein CBS Sports College basketball insider Gary Parish as we continue to follow the second round of the NBA draft The New York Knicks making a pick swap with the LA Clippers and they just trade down one spot They take this young man Mohamad Diawara 20-year-old Frenchman 68 223 that is now the fifth Frenchman drafted in this NBA draft Uh Adam who is this guy
well he’s a hybrid forward who is extremely long He measured with a 7′ 3 and 3/4 in wingspan a 9 foot2 standing reach but he’s not a big man He’s he’s a uh hybrid forward who can really cover the court has a ton of potential defensive versatility and shows flashes of being able to put the ball on the floor Now he’s got to work on his shooting his skill set his decision- making He’s got to refine his game but he’s a talented physical prospect
And just the latest to come from France which is a reminder that this is an international game more so than it’s ever been Obviously the Victor Wimyamas and and those level of players um have put that country on the map and it’s just four or five or six it feels like every single year making their way to this league
All right So if it wasn’t this pick who would you have drafted who’s out there and again you’re not going to be getting a guy who’s a starter Uh although we did see the Cavaliers draft Tyrese Proctor who is going to be playing right away Some of these guys will be playing right away on day one Is there a name out there that if you were a Knicks fan you’d go I’d rather have had this guy
Uh the Utah Jazz just just took John Tan I think he’s got a better chance of being an NBA player sooner And I also liked what Golden State did uh at 52 They took Alex Tui He was supposed to go to Gonzaga ended up playing um in uh in the NBL over there in Australia And I think he’s a prospect that there’s he he could be an NBA player And at this point in the draft a draft where the overall depth was really decimated by the amount of kids going back to college if you get somebody who could be an NBA player you’re doing all right for yourself Here’s the truth though with the Knicks a franchise that’s set up to compete in the East particularly with injuries to Jason Tatum and Tyresese Hallebertton and and Damen Lillard I mean Cleveland’s going to be up there If Philadelphia can get healthy and stay healthy they should be in there But the Knicks are going to be a factor again And there’s probably nobody like quite literally nobody they could have used this pick on that would help them in any sort of meaningful way next season Can’t guarantee that but that’s certainly the likely scenario So if I’m a front office at this point I’m just looking for best prospect available Somebody I can believe I can make into something And that’s what this is
You were probably hoping that they would name a head coach before they made this pick here
Nah
No I mean we’re four days away from free agency
I’m oldfashioned I I think that before you fire your coach you should have an idea of what your options are but I know that’s that’s outdated They decided their options were to fire their coach and then go ask other franchises if they could have their coach which I have equated in other places to divorcing your wife and then calling all your friends and saying “Hey you mind if I have your wife?” It doesn’t usually work that way and it hasn’t worked for the Knicks They’re still looking for their next head coach Okay so Mohamad Dawir the Frenchman the fifth Frenchman drafted in this NBA draft headed to the New York Knicks as they still await their head coach And you can get all your inside information right here on the ion college basketball podcast Gary Parish Matt Norlander will wrap up the entire draft for you It’s the ion college basketball podcast Download and follow right now [Music]

Adam Finkelstein and Gary Parrish join CBS Sports HQ to grade Mohamed Diawara being selected No. 51 overall by the Knicks.

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