The New York Knicks have a had a recent trend involving the young players. It seems as though every game, a different young player makes a strong impact with their play, which is a great sign for them moving forward.
Knicks’ Mohamed Diawara lights up the scoring on Monday
This time, it was 2025 second-round pick Mohamed Diawara’s turn to show what he’s got. Diawara got the start once again, even with Miles McBride returning from injury, and he made the most out of his opportunity.
Diawara had the best game of his young career, scoring a career-high 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the field, and was a perfect 4-for-4 from three as the Knicks defeated the Pelicans 130-125. He showcased great hustle and energy on both ends, and showed why he was given the start for the second straight game.
The France native has shown flashes of potential in his short NBA career, especially on the defensive side. With his offense starting to mold, however, he could become a legitimate rotation piece moving forward as a true backup power forward, which would be huge for the Knicks.
Diawara has quickly developed in his role
Guerschon Yabusele was supposed to be the guy that would fill in that backup power forward role and provide depth. When he signed a two-year, $12 million deal with New York over the summer, the expectations for what he could bring were very high.
Unfortunately for him, he hasn’t had the kind of season that he would have hoped to have. When the roster is fully healthy, Yabusele is not even in the rotation anymore, with Diawara earning the spot minutes over him.
Diawara’s quick progress is a huge sign for the Knicks, as each game they seemingly discover another young piece who can make a long-term impact. Diawara will look to build off of this strong start in their next game, when they face the red-hot San Antonio Spurs on the road.