Senegalese Duo Sidi Gueye and Ousmane N’Diaye Make Their Moves for Next Season

Senegalese duo Sidi Gueye and Ousmane N’Diaye will likely be departing their respective clubs in Spain this summer. Gueye, a 6-foot-11 forward with a near 7-foot-5 wingspan, has spent the last few seasons in Real Madrid’s youth setup, playing with the likes of Egor Demin, Hugo Gonzalez, Declan Duru, and others. For the 2025-26 season, he has committed to Arizona and could be one of the most impactful defenders in college basketball next season. 

Gueye made his professional debut with Real Madrid this season. He featured in four Liga ACB games and three EuroLeague games. Gueye is left-handed, and while his frame still looks incredibly frail, he is much stronger than meets the eye. Against professionals this season, he was able to consistently push them beneath the rim and flex quality footwork. His touch around the rim needs to improve, but he will give guard Jaden Bradley an above-the-rim lob threat out of the pick and roll on day one. He also has some shooting upside as he’s looked comfortable letting a handful of open threes fly in youth competitions. 

On defense, Gueye’s height and length will make him an immediately valuable rim protector for Arizona. He also does well when switched onto the perimeter, even though his lateral quickness has room for improvement. The amount of ground he’s able to cover on his defensive slides lets him get away with being slightly slower-footed. He does contest jumpers aggressively, though, and will end up in foul trouble if that approach continues for him next season. But it also could be a simple adjustment to make. 

While Gueye is heading to Arizona, his fellow countryman Ousmane N’Diaye has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. N’Diaye also spent the previous season in Spain. He was initially with EuroLeague club Baskonia, but joined CB Granada in late February for the rest of the season. He’s been a regular for Granada, playing over 15 minutes per game and averaging 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds on 43/38/50 shooting splits. 

At 6-foot-11 and 21 years old, Gueye also played a prominent role for Senegal at the AfroBasket qualifiers and thrived in three games against Rwanda, Gabon, and Cameroon, averaging 12 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game on 45/38/20 shooting splits. Gueye moves exceptionally well with the ball in his hands for a player of his size. His handle could be tighter, but he’s comfortable putting it on the floor and attacking off the dribble. He’s got great body control around the rim as well, slowing his strides down when he needs to and letting defenders fly by so he can finish. He’s capable of finishing with authority or showcasing touch when necessary as well. 

When you add Gueye’s shooting proficiency to his NBA-level physical build, and notable ball skills there’s reason to believe he could slip into a late second-round selection with an NBA team telling themselves they can optimize this skillset and find a cheap, cost-controlled role player for the next few seasons. And together, N’Diaye and Gueye give Senegal a basketball future to be excited about.