Recently, a west coast friend tuned into a Knicks game and texted me, “Who’s the giraffe on skates?”
He was referring to Mohamed Diawara, the 20-year-old French forward who the Knicks drafted 51st this
past summer. Diawara stands about 6’9” with a reported 7-foot-4 wingspan and was targeted by the Knicks as a low-cost, high-upside developmental player. Advanced scouts praised his length, motor, and defensive versatility. And occasionally, yes, he does resemble a runaway giraffe.
Before joining the NBA, Diawara developed in France’s elite pathway: he trained at INSEP, then played for Paris Basketball, including loan stints with Poitiers and Cholet in the French leagues. He also built his résumé internationally, being named MVP at the 2022 Basketball Without Borders camp in Milan and winning bronze at the 2022 U17 World Cup and gold at the 2024 U20 EuroBasket with France’s youth teams.
After the NBA Summer League and before the start of the current season, New York inked him to a minimum contract.
So far, Diawara has been a deep bench rookie, appearing in 18 games but mostly in garbage time. Only thrice this season has he played more than six minutes in a game, including last night’s 114-113 squeaker in Indianapolis. Against the Pacers, with four rotational players sidelined by injury, Diawara started the first game of his NBA career. He finished with five points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal in a career-high 19 minutes.
The start and playing time represented a meaningful step forward in his role. After the game, Coach Mike Brown expressed his optimism about the rookie’s future.
“He’s so young, just needs minutes, [but] it’s hard,” said Brown. “I want to send him to the G League, but we just don’t have enough bodies up here. So anytime I can find time for him, I’m gonna do it, because he has a chance to be really good in this league.”
The G League has provided a nice development spot for players like Deuce McBride and Tyler Kolek. This season, Diawara has played two games with the Westchester affiliate, averaging 15.5 points, seven boards, and 36.1 minutes.
Playing in the NBA is a dream come true for the rookie. “It’s been a goal of mine since I was very young,” he said. “To experience it from the inside is incredible.”
His development to-do list includes polishing his jump shooting and ball-handling. “My goal is to improve every day, stay here as long as possible, and chase a championship,” he said.
Watch his interview below—and spot the Deuce cameo.
Go Knicks.
