Mouhamed Gueye has spent the last three years turning himself into a real piece for the Atlanta Hawks, and now he may be on the verge of becoming something even bigger. The 23-year-old enters his fourth NBA season with a growing role, a sharper offensive game and the kind of defensive versatility that can quietly change a team’s second unit.
What makes Gueye so interesting is that his value starts on the defensive end. At 6’11, he moves like a much smaller player, which is a big reason Atlanta trusts him when actions get messy.
He can switch onto different offensive players in pick-and-roll coverage, and he gets out to shooters quickly enough to bother jumpers. Add in a 7’3" wingspan, and you have a long, disruptive defender who helps the Hawks protect the rim without piling up sloppy fouls.
The offense has started to follow. That was never a given after his college numbers, when he shot 27.7% from three over 68 games with the Washington Cougars.
In the NBA, though, he’s made real progress from behind the arc. Last season, Gueye hit 30.8% of his three-point attempts, and he did it while appearing in 77 games and knocking down a three in many of them.
Head Coach Quin Snyder has clearly seen enough to keep expanding Gueye’s shot diet, and that extra responsibility has come with more minutes. The more he’s been asked to do, the more he’s delivered.
That’s why this season feels important not just for his current role, but for what he could become down the line. If the jump continues, Gueye could grow into Atlanta’s X-factor for the 2026-27 season.
There’s also a very specific opening for him right now. While plenty of attention will go to Hawks centerpiece Jalen Johnson, his backup figures to matter a great deal in Atlanta’s push.
As of September 15, the Hawks’ second unit is expected to feature Kingston Flemings, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Mouhamed Gueye and Jock Landale. On paper, that group has balance: Flemings can run the offense, and the veterans around him can handle the rest.
Gueye is the piece that makes that bench group especially intriguing. Outside of Dort, he looks like the best defensive option off the bench, and his three-point shooting gives the Hawks real spacing.
With Landale also able to stretch the floor, Atlanta can go to two five-out lineups that still have dependable defenders. That’s a useful luxury, and Gueye’s fit with Landale stands out in particular.
The pairing works because the frontcourt pieces complement each other so well. Gueye, listed at 6’11 and 210 pounds, brings the mobility and switchability.
Landale, at 6’11 and 255 pounds, is the sturdier, more traditional rim-protecting presence. Together, they give the Hawks a frontcourt combination that covers different needs without sacrificing either end of the floor.
Gueye has already shown enough to matter, but this season is about pushing even further. If he takes another step, it won’t just reinforce what Atlanta already believes about him.
It could make the league see him as a steal from the 2023 NBA Draft. That timing matters, too, because he’s in the final year of his rookie contract and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
In Other News...
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What comes next could end up defining the season as much as anything else the Hawks do. They can keep searching for help on the market or hope their younger centers grow into the job, while Okongwus place in the picture remains important after years of being viewed as part of the solution rather than the whole answer. An extension decision also looms, which only adds to the pressure on Atlanta to get this one right. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks' Newest Camp Addition Could Force An Unexpected Roster Debate
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For now, the path to a longer stay is not exactly straightforward. Atlantas two-way contract spots are already filled, which makes any further roster maneuvering more complicated, but those kinds of openings can change quickly once camp gets rolling and performances start to matter. Baker gives the Hawks a familiar type of option to monitor, and his presence adds another layer to a roster discussion that could become more interesting than it looked at first glance. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Have A Backup Point Guard Decision Fans Will Watch Closely
The Hawks roster puzzle is still not fully solved heading toward the 2026-27 season, and the backup point guard spot is one of the sharper edges of it. Atlanta has more bodies than openings, which means at least one more move still has to come before opening night, and the front office continues to weigh different paths involving players such as Buddy Hield, Mouhamed Gueye, Corey Kispert, Kingston Flemings and Ryan Nembhard.
For the backcourt, the real evaluation begins in preseason, when coaches and the front office get a closer look at Flemings and Nembhard and figure out how the backup minutes should be sorted. It is the kind of decision that can quietly shape a rotation, especially for a team trying to balance roster fit, development and the need to trim down to a workable group. [Read more 🡒]