Mamadi Diakite
Updated as of 11/21/2020, scouting report written by Alan Lu.
2020 rankings were finalized on 11/17/20.
Height: 6-9
Weight: 230
College: Virginia
Classification: Redshirt Senior
Birthdate: 1/21/1997
2020 Top 100 Prospect Rank: 56
Projected Draft Range: 2nd Round to Undrafted
Pros:
Strong finisher around the basket
Decent shooter for a big man, has stretch big potential
Decent low post scorer
Excels at scoring on off-ball motion plays
Fairly good defensive player
Fairly good shot blocker
Good athlete
Very good motor
Cons:
Struggles to consistently create his own shot off the dribble
Can be too passive on offense
Needs to improve his playmaking skills
Needs to improve his rebounding
Can be foul prone
May struggle to defend quicker players on the perimeter
A bit undersized to play inside
Summary:
Mamadi Diakite is an athletic, high-motor big man that could project to be a rim protector in the NBA. He was the backbone of Virginia’s defense, as he helped his team win a National Championship. This season, he’s shown a much improved jump shot to go along with possessing solid defensive skills. However, it’s unclear if his sudden emergence on offense will be permanent, and he also does not rebound the ball very well for a player his size. Right now, he is a second round prospect for the upcoming draft, but in a favorable scenario, he could project to be an effective role player in the NBA.
Links:
Games Scouted:
2/11/19 Virginia vs. North Carolina
4/8/19 Virginia vs. Texas Tech
1/28/20 Virginia vs. Florida State
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