One of the top players in the NBA’s 2022 draft class — French guard-forward Ousmane Dieng — has committed to become the first European prospect to join the New Zealand Breakers as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program, he told ESPN on Tuesday.
Dieng, a 6-foot-9 playmaker, plans to join the Breakers for the 2021-2022 season and follows Charlotte Hornets rookie of the year frontrunner LaMelo Ball, Orlando Magic rookie R.J. Hampton and Australian Josh Giddey, a prospective 2021 lottery pick, into the NBL’s Next Stars program.
Dieng, 18, is ranked No. 14 on ESPN’s rankings of best available prospects for the 2022 draft. ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony describes Dieng as an excellent passer who shows versatility as a shot-maker and defender. He played for Parisian Academy INSEP in France’s third division.
Dieng was heavily recruited to play major college basketball and join the NBA’s G League Ignite program ahead of his entry into the 2022 NBA draft.