Events inseparable from sports in the United States, the drafts are the driving force behind the perpetual renewal of the major North American sports leagues. A twist, a twist of fate, disappointments, questions… Drafts are essential elements of American sporting culture. While March Madness has its usual surprises in store, the 2022 NBA Draft will be the next big date for NCAA, G-League, OTE and FIBA prospects. The opportunity for the CCS to mobilize to offer you a detailed profile of the best prospects. Without any particular hierarchy, you will find here all the necessary information to know the future rookies, even the future stars of the NBA.
MOUSSA DIABATE
Date of Birth : January 21, 2002 – Class : Freshman
University: Michigan Wolverines – With 2021/2022: 19v/15d
Job : Power forward / Pivot
Measurements
Cut : 211 cm – Weight : 95 kg – Wingspan: 218 cm
Season statistics
32 games played // 9.0 pts // 6.0 rebs // 0,8 asts // 0,3 stls // 0,9 blk
24.9 minutes played/match // 54.2% FG // 21.4% 3pts // 61,9% FT // 1,5 Tov // 2,7 PF
PROFILE
PERSONAL & COLLECTIVE CONTEXT
Born in Paris, Moussa Diabaté decided to fly very quickly to the United States in order to give himself every chance of succeeding in basketball. Indeed, at the age of 14, he crossed the Atlantic. After two first years in unreputable high schools, he joined the prestigious Montverde Academy during his junior season. Two seasons during which he will have more than 14 points and more than 7 rebounds per game which will earn him a selection at the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic. A 5-star recruit, he chose Michigan ahead of offers from Arizona, Kentucky and Memphis. Moussa begins the NCAA season off the bench but is already showing the extent of his potential through numerous flashes. And after only 6 small games, well helped by his performance off the bench but also the poor performance of position 4 holder Brandon Johns Jr, Moussa Diabaté is propelled holder into the racket alongside Hunter Dickinson. Starting position that he won’t let go and that will allow him to show everything he is capable of, the best, like the worst… And when we talk about the worst, we think in particular of this altercation at the end of the match between his coach and his alter ego from the university of Wisconsin where the situation worsened and Diabaté (and others) came to blows. The result: a one-game ban. The French player is doing well, in the short term. To see the repercussion that this gesture will have in the long term and in particular its place in the small papers of the NBA scouts. In March Madness 2022, the Woverines show up with the 11 seed and, given their seed and their season, create a little surprise by taking out the 6 seed, Colorado State, in the first round. More surprisingly, they also beat Tennessee, seed 3, in the next round. Unfortunately, the adventure will stop at Sweet 16 where they are eliminated by the well-oiled collective of Villanova. In these three March Madness games, Moussa Diabaté showed us the full extent of his potential, especially defensively, in protecting the circle, securing rebounds and blocking ability. But we also couldn’t see some limitations and flaws that he will have to correct next season, whether in the NBA or in a second season in the NCAA.
PLAYER DESCRIPTION
What is good about Moussa Diabaté is that what makes him strong is something that cannot be learned: the physical profile. He is still quite thin and needs to put on a few pounds, but his physical potential should make more than one NBA scout drool. Measured at more than 2m10, a wingspan of almost 2m21 according to the latest measurements (same wingspan as Giannis Antetokounmpo), Moussa Diabaté has the physical tools to wreak havoc in the racket. But when you combine this physical profile with a mobility that has nothing to envy to certain backs/wingers, you have an explosive combo. And it is there that lies the first quality of Diabaté. His mobility allows him to be able to switch in defense and to be able to hold against positions 3-4 when his size and his athletic qualities make him a real threat in circle protection and counter (3,7% au BLK%). He is one of his inner defenders who has the potential to force opponents to change the way they attack. This defensive versatility will definitely be his ticket to the NBA.
He is also a very good rebounder who does not hesitate to go to the coal to secure the ball and particularly on the offensive phases where he takes no less 2.4 offensive rebounds per game.
But Moussa Diabaté, it’s not just defense, it’s a rather interesting low post game and a very good finish near the circle, as evidenced by his 76% shooting success in the racket. Finally, we could see interesting flashes in shooting, especially at mid-range and even in pull up situations. Indeed, Moussa Diabaté turns to 32.2% on mid-range shots of which 60% are taken from the dribble. If not good, these statistics are promising for an interior. For comparison, players like Bam Adebayo or Jaren Jackson Jr are around 37-39% in career on this type of shot.
For the rest, it’s still a little raw and we quickly realize the still crude and young side of the French interior. First of all defensively where he still makes many “stupid” mistakes, he is sometimes a little naive and is easily caught on fake shots. Of his 32 games played, there are 12 where he took 4 or more fouls.
Then offensively where we will note a slightly “crazy” side which is felt in the cleanliness of his game. A few bad choices and avoidable loss of balls, we feel that the player is very emotional and his game is quite impacted, sometimes positively and sometimes… negatively. If we see a lot of flashes on several compartments of his game, nothing seems to be well established yet. The shot, as we said earlier, but also the pass. Some good passages are notable but again too rare and limited to be a strength. Michigan’s interior also needs to improve on free throws. His 62% is way too low especially in view of its rather good mechanics and its encouraging flashes at mid-range shooting. A concentration problem? Maybe, always is that this free throw percentage must absolutely be closer to 70-75% so as not to become a handicap for his team. Finally, it would be better for Moussa Diabaté to gain a few pounds, he who is still a little light and who risks being moved by the most physical NBA interiors. But this point is not the most alarming, especially if the French interior decides to stay an additional season in the NCAA.
✔️ FORCES
- Athletic qualities
- Span/elite mobility ratio
- Defensive versatility
- Circle protection ++
- Touch / interior finish
- shooting flashes
❌ WEAKNESSES
- Free throw percentages
- Fouls / defensive naivety
- Channeling his energy
- Creation for others
- Missing a few pounds
DRAFT 202 PREDICTION2
Fin the lottery (places 10-20)
Potentially interested teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks
With playoff qualification looming, Minnesota has said goodbye to the long period of rebuilding. However, it is always good to have young people with potential in your team in order to be able to renew the workforce but also to have available talented and inexpensive players. Behind their All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, the Wolves racket is not the most extensive. Only the valiant Naz Reid fights heart and soul in the interior sector of the Timberwolves. Moussa Diabaté’s draft could both give him time to develop patiently, but also allow him to have opportunities fairly quickly in terms of playing time.
For the Knicks, with their draft pick in the lottery, it would be betting on the immense potential of the French interior. In addition, Mitchell Robinson is a free agent this summer and there is no indication that he will extend to the Big Apple and his racket teammate Taj Gibson is far from his best years, leaving Nerlans Noël and young Jericho Sims as the only certainty in the New York domestic sector. No doubt the Knicks will position themselves on an interior this summer if ever Mitchell Robinson were to leave, but in a franchise that is sorely lacking in talent and potential, and in a draft where potentials could fluctuate a lot after the top 10, Moussa Diabaté could be the diamond in the rough not to be missed, the famous “player drafted too low” that there is in every draft. The Knicks would have everything to gain from taking the bet.
A Frenchman drafted by the San Antonio Spurs? The last time it happened, we know the rest. We’re going to take it easy on the daring innuendos. Still, for a young interior who needs a good environment to flourish and develop their abilities and potential to the maximum, San Antonio is one of the “Places to be”. In addition, the interior sector of San Antonio, unlike their wings and their backcourt, is clearly THE sector in need of young talent. Not only would Moussa Diabaté be in a good environment to progress, but in addition, he would not be blocked in the rotations and could quickly have his chance. The talent, the environment, the fit… It’s all there.
TIER DU CCS : Tier “Starter/6th man”
Moussa Diabaté has gold in his hands. He is a very talented player who has all the physical tools to be impactful on both sides of the pitch. His mobility for a player of this size is something rare and very valuable for the NBA. His defensive versatility and his circle protection will necessarily allow him to have minutes in the big league. And if in addition to all that, he shows progress in shooting (free throws, mid-distance or even outside), he can become a very popular two-way player in the indoor sector. But there is this altercation against Wisconsin. It remains to be seen whether this episode is a simple unfortunate exit from the road, or the dark side of Moussa Diabaté? And also remains to be seen the impact it will have on his draft and the start of his NBA career.. If he shows up, because for the moment, the rumors do not exclude a return to the NCAA. Something that wouldn’t harm him physically.
*Thirds of the CCS, explanations. It is very difficult to estimate the future of a prospect. To best embrace the potential of these young players, the CCS offers you a hierarchy by “thirds”, or “groups with potential”.
Group 1: “All-Star potential” Tier, easy to guess, the prospect has the potential to become an All Star.
Group 2: Tier “Starter ++”the player can very well become the second or the third option of his franchise.
Group 3: Tier “Starter/6th man”important role player or leader of the second unit.
Group 4: “High Rotation” Tier8th or 9th, always valuable with a defined role.
Group 5: Tier “End of Rotation”10th or 12th man with few minutes, a limited ceiling but able to render precious services.
Group 6: Tier “G-League/2Way”for them, it will be necessary to fight to hope for a future in the NBA, but everything is possible for late hatching.
Find all our 2022 NBA Draft profiles here!
Tier « All-Star »
Tier « Starter ++ »
Jaden Hardy – Harrison Ingram
Tier “Starter/6th man”
Patrick Baldwin – Nikola Jovic – Bryce McGowens
Tier « Rotation importante »
Jabari Walker – Spencer Jones – Dyson Daniels – Dereon Seabron – MarJon Beauchamp
“End of Rotation” Tier
Julian Champagnie – Ismaël Kamagaté
Tier « G-League/2Way »
