Raw rookie Mohamed Diawara impresses Knicks in Summer League
Cholet's Mohamed Diawara drives against PAOK during the first leg of the FIBA Europe Cup semifinals at PAOK Sports Arena in Thessaloniki, Greece, on March 26. Credit: SOOC/AFP via Getty Images/Konstantinos Tsakalidis
LAS VEGAS — The Knicks entered the Las Vegas Summer League with none of the highly-touted lottery picks that draw the crowds to get a first glimpse of as their NBA careers begin. But what they did bring were an assortment of players hoping to show new coach Mike Brown that they deserve a spot at the back end of the roster and maybe in the rotation.
Through the first two games there have been very few moments that Brown, seated near midcourt with a small hotel pad and pen taking notes, would be rushed to implement the players into his plans. And there were few players from last year’s crop that would win the argument that their former coach, Tom Thibodeau, was wrong not to speed them into action.
So when the 6-8 Mohamed Diawara shows up maybe it’s worth a note jotted down. He is an unheralded second-round pick with a wingspan that seems to reach from sideline to sideline and maybe more potential than the scouting reports that accompanied him from France.
“Yeah, I’ve been really impressed with Mohamed,” said Jordan Brink, who is coaching the summer league team. “His ability to rebound and run, to push off misses and makes. I thought he was really solid tonight. Pretty active defensively still learning the defensive system, low man principles. [He was a] plus two. Other than the guys we put in at the end, he was our only positive. So he’s been impressive. Continue to want him to shoot open looks and be aggressive to find his shot.”
And that’s important because little else has caught an eye. Players with some experience are expected to dominate the second time around in Summer League, and the closest thing to that for the Knicks was Kevin McCullar Jr.’s performance Sunday when he put up 30 points. However, McCullar barely saw the court last season as he rehabilitated from a knee problem and is already 24 years old.
Tyler Kolek, who played in more games than any of the four rookies last season, has struggled badly through the first two games — both losses. On Sunday against Boston he was 1-for-13 shooting with four turnovers. In two games he has 12 assists and nine turnovers while shooting 5-for-24.
Pacome Dadiet has flashed moments, but few and far between and left Sunday’s game with a sore left foot. Ariel Hukporti has looked very much like the rookie he was last season.
Diawara is undoubtedly raw, but at 200 pounds with a 7-4 wingspan, his physical traits are reminiscent of a young OG Anunoby. And maybe in a different salary cap world he would immediately be tabbed as a draft-and-stash project at 20 years old.
But the Knicks have an opening for a contract for a rookie or a player with one year experience and since Walt Perrin took over the scouting department the Knicks have found a number of useful players in the later parts of the draft. So in camp right now it’s Diawara, McCullar and James Nnaji who are likely competing for that contract.
He has followed Dadiet from France, a teammate overseas, and similarly fitting in the mix contractually. Now Diawara just has to show that he is ready to learn at the NBA level. Brink did that Sunday by putting the ball in his hands, having him trigger the offense.
“Yeah, I feel like the coaching staff is doing a great job [of] wanting to see [what] everybody can do on the court. So everybody gets a chance and today that was me,” Diawara said after the game. “I feel like I have more opportunity to showcase my skills on the court.
“I think I’m a good defender. But I feel like I’ve got more to my game, have to work more on my game and be a better overall basketball player who can do everything on the court.”
“We’re just trying to give him different looks,” Brink said. “A lot of this is like, let’s see what we’ve got. And let’s put him in different positions and try to help him succeed, see if we can find something . . . His ability to rebound and run has been impressive, initiating offense. “
He was only in the United States once before this summer, but his arrival has been eased by the presence of Dadiet. And on the court he’s begun to adjust, too. Although there was one aspect of adjustment that he wasn’t prepared for when he got here.
“I feel like my biggest struggle was the three-point line,” he said with a smile “It’s a big difference. My first shot was an airball at first, now I feel like I did good and I can really show here.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
