The Milwaukee Bucks just hired Taylor Jenkins to be their new head coach, and Ousmane Dieng has the most to gain from his addition to the mix. During his time with the Memphis Grizzlies, Jenkins did a great job of getting the most out of his young players, and that’s exactly what he has the chance to do with Dieng.
Jenkins was clearly a solid player development coach, leading his squad to some impressive seasons while sporting deep benches full of young, up-and-coming talent. As the Bucks look to compete with Giannis Antetokounmpo and develop their next wave of youth, having a guy like Jenkins will be crucial.
And Dieng could benefit more than anyone.
Taylor Jenkins should be perfect for Ousmane Dieng's development
As soon as Dieng got to Milwaukee after the trade deadline, it was clear that the Bucks may have found something special. The former Oklahoma City Thunder lottery pick began to blossom in front of everyone’s eyes.
The Bucks eventually faded out of playoff contention, and the entire drama with Antetokounmpo put a stain on the end of their season, but Dieng’s development was definitely a bright spot.
Dieng showed some flashes of talent from beyond the three-point line, driving to the hoop, and as a defender. He looks like the type of guy who could stick around in Milwaukee for a while.
Now, having Jenkins in place should give Dieng yet another boost, as he was quite the impressive developmental guy when he had the lead role in Memphis. Young players always seemed to thrive with him at the helm.
Santi Aldama, a late first-round pick, blossomed into a starting-level player. John Konchar, who went undrafted, eventually worked his way into rotational minutes.
GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. both played solid minutes for the Grizzlies under Jenkins, and even Jake LaRavia, who Memphis decided not to pay, showed flashes of talent.
Jenkins gave his young group a real chance to play, and he worked to develop them. That sort of coaching should seriously benefit Dieng and his chances at becoming a starting-level player.
It may not be immediate. Dieng is still only 22 years old, and his brief stint in Milwaukee post-trade deadline was his first real taste of regular playing time in the NBA.
But now, with Jenkins at the helm, he should have a very good chance to thrive with the Bucks. And for a team with very little draft capital to work with, having a guy like Jenkins, who finds a way to get the most out of young players, will be very important.
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