The New York Knicks have locked in their draft selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. With the 51st overall pick, the team selected forward Mohamed Diawara out of France.
Knicks draft Mohamed Diawara 51st overall
The Knicks originally had the 50th overall pick, but traded it to the Los Angeles Clippers while on the clock. The Clippers selected Nevada forward Kobe Sanders with that selection, who was also on the Knicks’ radar.
NBA: Draft
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SNY’s Ian Begley added that Diawara is good friends with Knicks forward Pacome Dadiet, and that Diawara is expected to play in Summer League for New York next month.
Diawara, who is listed at 6-9, played professionally in France for four seasons. Last season, he averaged 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds across 27 games played.
Diawara has to develop a large part of his offensive game
He was not the most efficient shooter in France, as he was under 40% from both the field and from three. He particularly struggled on two-pointers, as he shot just 45% on those types of shots.
The plus is that he is only 20 years old, so he has plenty of time to grow and possibly develop into a serviceable rotation piece. It is unlikely that he will see the court a whole lot in his rookie season, and he could potentially become a draft-and-stash pick, but he is in a situation where he has some familiarity given that he is joining Dadiet’s team.