Michigan basketball's Moussa Diabate staying in 2022 NBA draft
The journey that has taken Moussa Diabate from France to Florida to the Michigan basketball program in Ann Arbor will add a new destination in the coming months.
Diabate cemented the decision to pursue a professional career by passing on his final three seasons of eligibility and remaining in the NBA draft, where he’s projected as a second-round pick. A strong showing in the physical testing at this year’s combine coupled with the defensive versatility and ceaseless motor he flashed at U-M were enough for Diabate, 20, to reportedly feel comfortable making a leap rooted in potential over production.
The Michigan basketball program announced Diabate's decision Wednesday night.
The lean and lanky Diabate arrived at Michigan as a McDonald’s All-American and five-star recruit whose rawness could benefit from the hands-on approach of Juwan Howard. He was rated the No. 17 overall prospect in the class of 2021 despite playing basketball for just eight years and represented the kind of blank, athletically gifted canvas coaches and scouts adore. Much like his classmate Caleb Houstan, another U-M five-star signee in ’21, Diabate caught the attention of NBA personnel during international competitions.
At 6 feet 10 and 217 pounds, with wingspan of nearly 7-3, Diabate’s promise was obvious from the moment he entered Crisler Center. Teammates and coaches raved about what they saw from Diabate during preseason workouts with Howard frequently referencing the freshman’s ability to defend all five positions.
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Whatever Diabate lacks in polish he made up for with passion. Game in and game out, nobody on Michigan’s roster played harder — save for the indefatigable shooting guard Eli Brooks. Diabate led the Wolverines in offensive rebounds (76) despite playing 200 fewer minutes than /all-conference center Hunter Dickinson and finished the season with the team’s best free-throw rate, a measure of how often a player gets to the line relative to how often he tries to score.
His most enticing performance was a 28-point, eight-rebound explosion during a road win over Iowa that helped propel U-M into the NCAA tournament. With a flurry of sharp duck-ins, soft hook shots and face-up drives, Diabate outshined potential top-five pick Keegan Murray, who led the Big Ten in scoring at 23.5 points per game. And while that kind of offensive outburst was never repeated — it was the only 20-point game of Diabate’s season — he'd put an impressive appetizer on film.
The NBA flickers were stoked by an eye-catching testing performance. Diabate posted the fastest times among centers in the shuttle run (2.9 seconds) and lane agility (11.16 seconds) drills while also recording the highest max vertical leap (36.5 inches) at the combine. He ranked second in standing vertical leap (29 inches) and the three-quarter court sprint (3.22 seconds).
The various weaknesses in his game — perimeter shooting, finishing around the rim, low-post defense, a propensity to get in foul trouble — can be addressed at the next level if there’s a team comfortable with drafting Diabate as a developmental project.
Losing Diabate leaves the Wolverines stretched thin in the frontcourt aside from Dickinson, who announced his intention to return for a third season. Incoming freshman Tarris Reed (6-10, 260 pounds) is the only natural backup for Dickinson and will be counted on to contribute immediately unless Michigan adds another power forward or center in the transfer portal.
The influx of hybrid forwards like Jett Howard (6-7, 220), Gregg Glenn (6-7, 215) and redshirt freshman Will Tschetter (6-8, 230) could enable U-M to rely more heavily on small-ball lineups after playing two traditional big men most of last season.
Contact Michael Cohen at mcohen@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_Cohen13.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: NBA draft: Michigan basketball's Moussa Diabate to go pro
