Ousmane Dieng proved last season that a change of scenary can make all the difference for a young player sometimes. He wasn't perfect, but the forward turned heads and flexed enough potential that the Milwaukee Bucks re-signed him. Now, as he looks to take another step forward, how reliable his jumper is will be a major test for his growth in his first full Bucks season and beyond.
Dieng's skill set screams potential, though untapped
There's a lot to like about Dieng's game offensively. At 6-foot-9, he moves fluidly and can score from all three levels. Considering he averaged just 11 points per contest, it feels like a stretch to compare him to one of the best scorers of all time in Kevin Durant, but they are both tall, lanky forwards with an eye for scoring in bunches.
The difference is that Durant is one of the best jump shooters of all time, while Dieng is very much a work in progress in that regard. During his short time with the Milwaukee Bucks after coming over at the NBA Trade Deadline, Dieng took 236 jump shots. That was by far his favorite scoring technique, as the next closest shot in his diet in terms of attempts was layups, in which he put up just 52.
The problem is that he sank just 37.7 percent of his jumpers. If that shot will be the point of focus in his arsenal, he'll have to be better than that.
A smooth-shooting Dieng can be a lethal scorer
Looking closer, Dieng's shooting efficiency was bogged down by his poor above the break perimeter shot. He went just 34-of-113 (30.1 percent) on his shots from that spot. If he truly wants to unlock his potential and reach the next level, Dieng has to hit more of this particular shot. The confidence is there, without a doubt, but the results have to follow.
Aiding Dieng's quest to improve here will be Milwaukee's abundance of excellent facilitator. Between Tyler Herro, Brayden Burries, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and Jaime Jaquez Jr., Milwaukee has no shortage of skilled passers who will be itching to find open shooters on the 3-point line. Dieng should have plenty of opportunities to cash in on great looks.
If he's hitting them consistently, it can take Dieng's offensive production to a new level entirely as he looks to build off last season's strong close.
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