Milwaukee Bucks: Analyzing the intriguing 2021-22 center rotation

Mamadi Diakite will look to gain more experience at center with the Milwaukee Bucks

Mamadi Diakite is an intriguing player for Milwaukee. The second-year player out of Virginia has plenty of potential, which showed in the G-League Bubble during the 2019-20 season.

In the G-League Bubble, Diakite joined the Lakeland Magic put together a very solid resume in his 12 games with the team. Diakite averaged 18.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 2.1 assists in nearly 28 minutes per game. Furthermore, he was named to the All-NBA G-League First Team, NBA G-League All-Defensive Team, and the NBA G-League All-Rookie Team. Diakite also finished second in G-League Rookie of the Year voting. The potential is certainly there for the young big, and he will be looking to gain more experience in his second year.

Shifting to next season, Diakite could earn some extra reps as he continues to develop. Signed to a two-year deal with Milwaukee, Diakite will need to show signs of progress to retain his spot with the Bucks. The big man has good scoring ability but will need to work on his game as a rim protector. Diakite is a lengthy player, standing at 6 feet-9 inches with a 7 feet-3 inch wingspan. His ability to keep opposing players in front of him while on the defensive end is there, but he will need to work on his strength in the interior. As he displayed in the G-League, Diakite has plenty of scoring ability. If he translates it to the NBA level, he should be able to earn some more reps.

Diakite is a player that will be interesting to watch as he develops. If his strength grows, he will be a reliable option on defense. With his scoring potential, it’s certainly possible we see more of him this season.