The 6’10 big man out of Michigan (born in Paris, France) was a 2nd round pick in the 2022 draft. Moussa Diabate, known for athleticism, quick feet for a big man, and effort, played one year at Michigan, earning Big Ten All-Freshman honors with averages of 9 ppg, 6 rpg (2.4 orpg), and 54.2% from the field. Not eye-popping stats, but when you see Diabate play, you know his basic stats aren’t where his value lies.

A trend throughout his career is a high ranking in rebounding percentages; however, his minuscule playing time produced low counting stats. In college, this was no different, as he only averaged 25 minutes as an undersized big man; the avenue to a high draft pick was very narrow for Diabate. The Los Angeles Clippers decided to gamble on Diabate’s skill set, but after only 33 NBA appearances in a Clippers jersey, he would sign with the rebuilding Charlotte Hornets in 2024.

In one season with Charlotte, Diabate has doubled his appearances and average minutes, resulting in counting stats of 5.7 points per game, 6.2 rebounds (2.6 orpg), and a solid 59.6% shooting percentage. Once again, his numbers are nothing too impressive, until you realize this was done in 17.5 mpg. As a bench player, he was 6th and 12th in offensive and defensive rebounds per 36 minutes, and more impressively, 6th in ORPG. Along with signs like 3.2 win shares, a 113 defensive rating, and a plus/minus of +8.6 over 100 possessions, suggest that Charlotte was much better when he was on the court.

Offensively, Diabate served as a connective passer off the short roll and a solid scorer as a play finisher in the 2024-25 campaign. Diabate’s reported 7'2 wingspan makes a lot of his shots look wonky and uncomfortable; despite this, he has developed a bit of a running floater. While not deadly, it is a viable option. Diabate’s most impactful ability offensively is his rebounding, snagging 2.6 offensive rebounds per game in just 17 minutes. His low minutes make his case as a starter difficult to push, but it is undeniable that he is a great rebounding talent, which is why he is in the 92nd percentile for rebounds per game.

Defensively, he is no slouch, ranking in the 92nd percentile in stocks% (steals + blocks), 91st in deflection%, and a modest 61st percentile in Opp. rim field goal%. Diabate has the length and just enough foot speed to stay in front of smaller guards, and he can get vertical and protect the rim, making him a versatile defender capable of defending 1-5.

Diabate’s thin frame can be advantageous when playing against screens and matchup-hunting teams, but guarding centers is consistently difficult, so Charlotte should look to use him as a roamer and switch defender alongside a bigger, taller big man.

Going into next season, Charlotte will have big man issues that even Diabate alone won’t fix. Diabate will be competing for center minutes with veteran Mason Plumlee, recently drafted rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner, and forward minutes with Grant Williams, Tidjane Salaun, and Miles Bridges. The biggest development point is affecting the game through scoring; he had stretches of solid scoring and rebounding. Specifically, during Jan 29th - Feb 22nd, Diabate averaged 10.2 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game in 22.9 minutes. Stretches like these led to Charlotte signing Diabate to a multiyear contract extension, foreshadowing a bigger role soon. If he can maintain his rebounding prowess while finding more consistency in scoring and spacing the floor, Diabate will find himself receiving another extension in the future.

Charlotte's most underrated player