Pacific Northwest Sports audited 38 NBA mock drafts to see where Washington State Cougars center Mouhamed Gueye would wind up.
Washington State Cougars head basketball coach Kyle Smith faces a sizeable roster turnover in 2023-24. Several key players either entered the transfer portal or declared for the NBA Draft.
Fitting into the latter category are Justin Powell and Mouhamed Gueye. Putting players into the NBA is good for Wazzu, especially when it comes to recruiting.
Powell isn’t high on any team’s radar and won’t be selected. It was a huge surprise to everyone, including Smith, that he decided to stay in the draft at the May 31 deadline to opt-out. If Powell doesn’t get undrafted, he has until 5 pm on June 26 to return to college.
The other Washington State Cougars player in this draft, center Mouhamed Gueye, has an excellent chance of hearing his name called on June 23. The last time Wazzu had a player drafted was in 2022, when CJ Elleby went to Portland in Round 2 (46th overall). He spent two seasons at the end of the Blazers before heading to play professionally this year in Israel.
Spanning the internet
The sources we use for the mock drafts may vary from edition to edition, but they are credible. This time we included ESPN, USA Today, CBS Sports, The Ringer, Sports Illustrated. and more.
Mouhamed Gueye – Center, Washington State Cougars
At the Combine
Height: 6-11
Weight: 210 pounds
Wingspan: 7-3
Gueye didn’t participate much in drills or play in the scrimmages at the combine due to a lingering back injury. Since then, he has participated in individual workouts with several teams.
Draft Projections
Highest Draft Spot – Round 2, Denver Nuggets, 40th overall.
Lowest Draft Spot – Round 2, Milwaukie Bucks, 58th overall.
Most Common Draft Spot – Round 2, Oklahoma City Thunder, 50th overall.
Scouting Report
Nobody will question Gueye’s hustle, talent, or athleticism. He makes highlight reel plays worthy of a first round pick. Those traits might not be enough to get him selected.
The issues that hold him back are experience and basketball IQ. He doesn’t know the game well enough to embrace the nuances that would make him a valuable commodity.
For his size and athleticism, Gueye should be a better shot blocker. That goes back to knowing the game. He doesn’t instinctively move on defense, making him a liability at the next level.
Gueye has only played organized basketball in America for four years, two of which were with the Washington State Cougars. Will NBA teams be willing to give him the on-the-job training he needs? The answer must be yes because he opted to stay in the draft.
The development from when he arrived in Pullman, WA, until now has been outstanding. It’s interesting to think how good Gueye would be if he stayed with the Washington State Cougars program another year.
Draft Prospectus
Of the 38 mock drafts we looked at, 18 went the entire two rounds. Gueye was selected in 15 of them. He should go in the mid-to-late second round.
Gueye is an intriguing player due to his natural skill and growth trajectory. I’d be very interested in bringing him in on a two-way. Some of his gifts are extremely difficult to teach, and, if you think you can coach him up on the intricacies of defense, he has a chance to really figure some things out. The problem is that I just don’t think he is nearly developed enough to play in the NBA right now and think it’s unlikely he’ll be ready by Year 2.
Sam Vecine, The Athletic ($)
Where do you think Washington State Cougars center Mouhamed Gueye will go in the NBA Draft on June 23?
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