Michigan big man Moussa Diabate appears closer to NBA ready
Michigan forward Moussa Diabate had some good days at the NBA combine, including a 10-point game in his final scrimmage. Now, the sophomore-to-be has a decision to make about his future … and it won’t be easy.
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There have been rumblings for months now that Diabate could well be a one-and-done. Now that he’s showing up on NBA Draft projections, it seems closer to reality. He played 23 minutes in his final scrimmage, scored 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Diabate hauled in 11 rebounds, four on the offensive end, and also dished five assists. In that area, he showed a side of his game he didn’t demonstrate much in his freshman year at Michigan.
Diabate has continued to work on his craft away from Ann Arbor, and many believe he’s committed to making himself a high draft pick this year.
“You can’t come in and think you’re just going to work through the workouts and people are just going to love you,” Diabate told the Big Ten Network. “You definitely have to show them that you want to be here and that you’re committed. That’s a big thing.
“Some teams probably see some players on the court or outside and they don’t think they’re really committed. I definitely think I’m the opposite of that.”
He still has work to do as a basketball player after averaging 9.0 points per game last year. If he’s drafted, though, it’s going to be on potential. He finished first or second among centers in the the shuttle, springs, standing vertical, lane agility and maximum vertical.
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In shooting drills, the Michigan forward made 44 percent of his shots, 27th out of 36 participants. He made 63 percent off the dribble, which tied for 12th, but both performances put him in the top three among the eight centers.
“Throughout the drills and stuff like that, I definitely showed I have potential in my shooting,” the Michigan frosh said. “And obviously, I showed them pretty much what I can do, being able to play defense and guarding multiple positions.
“It’s definitely going to improve my stock because, at the end of the day, when you do good in the testing, I think the team can trust you more. They see potential, and probably I’ve shown them something they were surprised about that they probably didn’t think I had in me.”
Whether it’s good enough to go in the first round remains to be seen. But the Michigan forward seems to be climbing draft boards, and it’s looking more likely he’ll stay in the draft.
