Oklahoma forward Ousmane Dieng (13) poses for a photo shoot during Thunder media day at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

OKC Thunder’s Ousmane Dieng Shows Flashes in Preseason Opener

Originally posted on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI
By Derek Parker | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 7:24 PM ET

On Sunday, the Oklahoma City Thunder opened up their 2025 preseason with a bout against the Hornets.

Despite sitting eight major contributors from its championship squad, Oklahoma City was still able to able to cruise to a double-digit win, relying on a mixture of seasoned rotational veterans and hungry newcomers.

One player who somewhat tows the line between those two types of prospects is Ousmane Dieng, who saw one of the better performances in the win over Charlotte.

An incoming fourth-year forward, Dieng was drafted with the No. 11 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, but hasn’t yet found his groove in the big leagues.

There have certainly been flashes from the ever-fluid forward over the years. Smooth 3-point shooting, play-making and handling at 6-foot-9, as well as some versatile defense. But his Thunder tenure has mostly been highlighted by his lack of force and inconsistency.

Ousmane Dieng ️️ pic.twitter.com/AA4psRNOej
— (@Three_Cone) October 5, 2025

Across 109 games in his first three seasons, Dieng has averaged just 4.3 points on 42% shooting, shooting just 29% from three. He hasn’t been able to insert himself into the rotation consistently, rarely offering the combination of good offense and defense.

There were flashes in the Frenchman’s third season, but he promptly suffered a few injury setbacks.

Now, Dieng has a pivotal fourth season ahead. And it seems he’ll be using NBA preseason to boost his stock and confidence ahead of it.

Across 33 minutes in the win over the Hornets, Dieng looked like one of the best players on the floor, shooting with confidence, handling the rock and even pulling out offensive moves he only used in his time with the OKC Blue. All in all, he finished with 17 points on 50% shooting, adding eight rebounds, six assists and a steal.

Ousmane Dieng looks….really good?

He’s started off the game with 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists in just 9 minutes so far, looking really comfortable as a creator and ball-handler in the process pic.twitter.com/44mbwgEvxT
— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) October 5, 2025

Things will obviously be different once Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and co. are back on-court. Both opportunities and shots will cut drastically with the team's win-now core frequenting the lineup. But there will still be plenty of chances for Dieng to prove himself worthy of consistent minutes next season.

Head coach Mark Daigneault has a proven track record of reaching deep into the roster, and Dieng will continue to be a part of that given his unique size and play-style. If he can knock down open shots, limit mistakes and shore up his defense, he could find himself in the team's second unit sooner rather than later.

Dieng could prove his readiness in the team's actual core, against a better opponent, as early as Monday against Dallas in Ft. Worth.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma City Thunder on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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