Just one day after being traded, Ousmane Dieng is already suiting up for the Milwaukee Bucks. In a surprising twist before Friday night’s home matchup against the Pacers, the Bucks reversed course on Dieng’s status-initially ruling him out, only to later announce that the 22-year-old forward would, in fact, be active and available to play.
It’s a quick turnaround, especially considering Dieng wasn’t even with the team earlier in the day. But with Kyle Kuzma sidelined due to calf soreness, there’s suddenly a bit of room in the rotation-and a real opportunity for Dieng to make an early impression in his new uniform.
At 6-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Dieng brings intriguing length and versatility, even if he’s a bit undersized for the frontcourt roles he’s played so far in his young career. During his time in Oklahoma City, he logged minutes at both center and power forward, showing flashes of the skill set that once made him the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
The path that brought Dieng to Milwaukee has been anything but linear. OKC shipped him to Chicago at the trade deadline, and less than 24 hours later, the Bulls flipped him to the Bucks in a deal that sent Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony to Phoenix. Now, Dieng finds himself in Milwaukee, looking to carve out a role on a team still searching for answers without its superstar.
In 27 games with the Thunder this season, Dieng averaged 3.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game, shooting 41.8% from the field and a respectable 36.7% from three. He’s only taken six free throws all season-but he’s hit every one. Those numbers won’t jump off the page, but they hint at a player who could still develop into a useful piece, especially in a system that gives him room to grow.
This is a low-risk, potentially high-reward look for the Bucks, who now have a few months to evaluate Dieng before he hits restricted free agency this summer. The former lottery pick is in the final year of his four-year, $21.07 million rookie deal-a contract that never quite aligned with his production in OKC, but one that still carries the promise of untapped potential.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo still sidelined due to a calf strain-and the Bucks struggling to a 5-14 record without him-Milwaukee is in need of fresh energy and new contributors. Dieng might not be the answer, but he represents a question worth asking: can a change of scenery unlock the talent that once made him one of the most intriguing prospects in his class?
Tonight’s game against Indiana (13-38) could be the first step in finding out. The Bucks (20-29) enter as 1.5-point home underdogs, and with tipoff set for 7 PM CT, all eyes will be on how Doc Rivers manages his new-look rotation-and whether Ousmane Dieng can make the most of this unexpected early debut.