The Knicks did not trade up as rumored in the NBA Draft, instead staying at No. 11 and selecting forward Ousmane Dieng from France.
However, Dieng was not a Knick long, as they dealt him to Oklahoma City for three conditional first-round picks, as announced later in the round by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Per NBA insiders Shams Charania and Bobby Marks, the three picks the Knicks acquired were all protected 2023 selections, which OKC acquired via Detroit, Washington, and Denver, respectively. The latter two picks are lottery protected (Top 14), while the Detroit pick is Top 18 protected.
Dieng, 19, represented France at the 2019 FIBA U16 European Championship, where he averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game to help France to a silver medal.
He began his pro career in France on 2020-21, averaging 12.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for Centre Fédéral in Nationale Masculine 1, the third-tier league in the country. He then spent last season with the New Zealand Breakers in Australasia’s National Basketball League, becoming the first European to join the league’s Next Stars NBA development program and spurning offers from several college programs and the G League Ignite.
Dieng played 23 games for the Breakers, averaging 8.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
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“I’m so excited to start my journey,” Dieng told ABC right after being selected.
The Thunder selected Santa Clara guard Jalen Williams at No. 12, but per Woj, that was not one of the picks OKC was sending to the Knicks for Dieng.
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