Ousmane Dieng didn’t get much of a runway in his Milwaukee Bucks debut - just five minutes in a blowout loss. But two nights later, he stepped onto the floor with something to prove, and in his first real rotation minutes, the 22-year-old delivered. Dieng dropped 17 points off the bench, drilling a career-high five threes and flashing the kind of upside that made him a lottery pick not so long ago.
For the Bucks, this was the kind of low-risk, high-reward swing you take at the trade deadline - and early returns suggest it might already be paying off.
A Quiet Bet with Loud Potential
Milwaukee picked up Dieng in a three-team deal that saw Amir Coffey and Cole Anthony shipped to Phoenix. Dieng had been languishing on the Thunder’s bench, unable to carve out a consistent role since being selected 11th overall in the 2022 draft. He averaged just 3.7 points in 27 games this season, and 4.2 points across 136 career appearances - numbers that don’t jump off the page.
But context matters. Dieng is still just 22, and his physical tools remain intriguing.
At 6-foot-9 and 185 pounds, he’s something of a positional tweener - too light to bang with bigs inside, but oversized for a traditional wing. That in-between identity has made it tough to slot him into a defined role, but it also gives him versatility that’s hard to teach.
Against Orlando, we finally saw what that might look like when it clicks.
Flashing the Skillset
Dieng showed off a smooth handle for his size, creating space on a pair of stepback threes that looked more like a guard’s move than a forward’s. His final bucket might’ve been the most impressive - taking Franz Wagner off the dribble from the wing and working into a tough baseline jumper. It wasn’t just the shot-making; it was the confidence and control he played with.
He didn’t fill up the box score beyond the points, but he didn’t need to. Dieng played within the flow of the offense, found open spots on the perimeter, and made himself available.
Three of his threes came on clean catch-and-shoot looks in the corners - two of which were the result of smart off-ball movement that left his defender trailing. If he keeps doing that, defenders will have no choice but to start paying closer attention.
The Long Game
It’s way too early to project what Dieng could become in Milwaukee, but this was the kind of performance that earns you another look - and then another. With restricted free agency looming this summer, the Bucks will want to see if there’s more where this came from. If he continues to show growth, they may have found a developmental piece worth investing in.
And for what they gave up - two players who had fallen out of Doc Rivers’ rotation - this is a calculated gamble that makes sense. Milwaukee didn’t just swap out bodies; they took a swing on upside. And in just 23 minutes, Dieng gave them a reason to feel good about that decision.
He may not be a finished product, but if Wednesday night was any indication, the Bucks might have something worth molding.