New York Knicks second round rookie forward Mohamed Diawara has been not just one of the better stories for the team, but for the entire league this season.
Knicks’ Mohamed Diawara is developing rapidly
Diawara, who chosen 51st overall out of France in this past year’s draft, wasn’t expected to immediately be an impactful player. Now, he has been regularly featured in games and is quickly developing into a serious rotation player.
However, the recent signing of Jeremy Sochan created a competitive of sorts for that backup forward spot. While Diawara seems to still be ahead of Sochan in the pecking order, head coach Mike Brown has been trying to include Sochan in the rotation, which has yielded mixed on-court results.
Despite that, Brown still views Diawara highly, praising him for his growth and sending a message to the league that he is on the come-up.
“Mo has played well. He’s gotten better. Jeremy just hasn’t had an opportunity to. And the biggest thing is, obviously between the two guys is Jeremy is in his fourth season and he’s a little bigger, he’s a little stronger and he knows the league a little bit better. But Mo is coming. And I say Mo is coming because everybody needs to understand that. Not just Jeremy. But everybody. Because Mo is coming,” Brown said via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
Diawara plays with a confidence that separates him from most rookies
Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of Diawara’s development is his confidence. It is not often that a 20-year-old rookie has a ton of poise on the court, especially in limited playing time.
However, Diawara has demonstrated great basketball IQ by knowing what his role on the court is. He doesn’t overthink with the ball in his hands, and his jumper is developing nicely, shooting at a 40.3% clip from three-point range. His versatility on defense has also made him a valuable asset this season.
It is unclear what kind of role Diawara will play in the playoffs, but Brown has regularly emphasized his players having a “stay ready” mentality. Players like Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti have been inconsistent members of the rotation, but they know how to make an impact when their name is called, and they are hoping for the same from Diawara.