Ousmane Dieng looks stellar in OKC Blue debut

The Oklahoma City Thunder G-League affiliate the OKC Blue held their home opener on Wednesday afternoon in the Paycom Center as the noon cap of the day-night doubleheader before the Thunder take on the Bucks at 7.

After a 28-point comeback win in Nevada against the G-League Ignite program sparked their season, the Blue played host to the Santa Cruise Warriors on Wednesday afternoon, as the Blue roster featured a plethora of Thunder regulars with Jaylin Williams, Ousmane Dieng, Lindy Waters III, and Eugene Omoruyi all assigned to the G-League affiliate before today’s game.

Ousmane Dieng looks the part and shines in OKC Blue’s dominating win over the Warriors

Ousmane Dieng has already played in nine NBA games to the tune of three points per game, two rebounds a contest, and nearly two assists per tilt while shooting just 33 percent from the floor. The 11th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, in who the OKC Thunder invested three future first-round picks in looked the part during his first G-League game.

Dieng went for 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, a steal, and two blocks in this game against the Warriors while shooting 6-for-13 from the floor. At 6’10, Ousmane Dieng plays like a guard and those skill sets showed themselves in this contest.

I asked OKC Blue head coach Kameron Woods about Ousmane Dieng after the contest and he said “You forget how young he is sometimes, he is so big and skilled, he can do a lot of things with the ball, and without the ball so you almost get lost in all the different ways you can use him.” Woods added, “we just have to keep building with him.”

Dieng was not the only Thunder player to have a big game down in the G-League as Eugene Omoruyi posted 27 points on 15 shots, hauled in four rebounds, and swiped two steals. His fellow two-way contract wing Lindy Waters III also stuffed the stat sheet chipping in 11 points, with six rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Jaylin Williams, who was selected 34th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, nearly messed around and got a triple-double going for seven points, nine rebounds, eight assists, four steals, and a block. Williams was excellent as a high-post playmaker and defensive communicator.

I asked Woods after the game about the vocal nature of Jaylin Williams’s game “He has a great voice, when you are a five-man you are the anchor of the defense, you can not hide. It is great to have him back there.” Woods added it gives everyone confidence when Williams is “barking” back there.