Ousmane Dieng's Future Still Interesting for OKC Thunder Long Term

Ousmane Dieng was always supposed to be a protected pick for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Part of the now historic 2022 NBA Draft class that also netted the Thunder Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Jaylin Williams.

When Oklahoma City turned in the draft card for Dieng, not even the biggest optimist in Bricktown could have predicted that the Thunder would be NBA champions in 2025. It all happened so far. Dieng was left adjusting to a new country, much less a new city, and saw the team change dramatically each year he has been an NBA player.

From his long-term developmental track, to battling injuries, it has been hard for the NBL product to dive into a team that went from a rebuilding club to a contender in the blink of an eye.

Along the way, Oklahoma City has remained consistent in their messaging, Top decision-maker Sam Presti and head coach Mark Daigneault praising his progress as being on track with what they expected in June 2022.

"Yeah, it's a great example. He had some great moments for us this year in real rotation minutes, minutes he could not have provided the year before. I like his path because when we drafted him, he was maybe the youngest or one of the youngest players in that draft class, so we knew this was going to take some time. He also was coming from overseas, which is another factor you have to kind of bake into the pathway just with language and some different assimilations," Presti continued at his end-of-season interview. "I think he's on the right track. Now, his biggest change to me is just his body, his physical. He's really, really changed his body and that's through a lot of hard work, and that's, I think, given him a different level of confidence which has helped him play in these games."

For as much improvement as Dieng has made in the shadows of the G League, he still feels a ways away from being an NBA contributor in the limited role the Thunder can offer him due to a crowded –– championship level –– rotation.

As the former No. 11 pick enters his final year on his rookie contract, it seems as though Dieng is on borrowed time.

The fourth year forward is an NBA G League Champion, where he won Finals MVP, an NBA Champion, and still has a future in this league if he can put it all together at the varsity level, but it feels like a long shot that he is able to do so in Bricktown. Many wouldn't expect the Frenchman to survive the deadline in OKC, and it feels like a foregone conclusion that he will not be on the roster in the 2026-27 season.

However, sometimes things don't go the way we expect. Dieng is still an interesting forward to watch this season for that small possibility.

For the 22-year-old to carve out a role in Oklahoma City, it is all about the offensive end. The 6-foot-10, 222-pounder is already an NBA-level defender with high-level point of attack chops and the length to switch across the board while being a pest in the passing lanes.

Offensively, Dieng has to grow as a catch-and-shoot weapon. For his career, the former lottery pick is sitting at 29% from deep, off the catch, he shot 38% a year ago on low volume. His rim finishing has to be completely transformed as he converted on just 35% of layups.

A large reason that Dieng can take a step forward is the mental side of the game and gaining comfort after another offseason of work. The big tagline around him has consistently been "force," and the demand for much more of it from Daigneault and OKC Blue head coach Kameron Woods.

If he can take the next step in terms of his physicality, it will not only improve his rim-finishing but also allow him to mix it up on the glass more and make winning plays at the highest level.

All hope is not lost that Dieng could, in theory, be a contributing player for Oklahoma City. However, it is unlikely.

But in July, everyone has the benefit of "what if?" and if Dieng puts it all together this season, it would pay off –– literally –– on the backend for the Thunder.

If Dieng shows the lottery potential he had as a prospect in a reduced role for OKC this season, the Thunder would be able to ink him to a low-stakes prove-it deal in the summer. That would give an expensive roster a cost-controlled contributor that was developed in-house.

While the most likely outcome remains this is the final season that Dieng will don Thunder blue, the unknown of this season still makes him an interesting player to follow.