Mamadi Diakite is an emerging Guinean professional basketball player who moved to the United States in search of better opportunities. With all his hard work, he has become one of the well-established players.
Despite playing four seasons in college, Diakite was a massive success as a former Virginia Cavalier in his rookie season.
Diakite outperformed expectations in his first season without a standard contract, tallying 18.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 12 games for the Lakeland Magic.
By the end of his first year, he had won a G League championship, a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, and an NBA championship.
Moreover, Mamadi was one of the top interior forces in Orlando last season, racking up not only 10.4 boards, 2.8 of which came on offense, but also rising against larger matchups for 2.1 blocks.
In terms of slashing, he used his quick foot speed and competent handle to penetrate against more prominent defenders, frequently cashing in on secondary moves like moving spins to set up layups around the basket.
Learn more about him through the article here.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Mamadi Diakite |
| Nickname | Not Available |
| Birth Date | January 21, 1997 |
| Birth Place | Conakry, Guinea |
| Residence | Not Available |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Nationality | Guinean |
| Ethnicity | African |
| Education | University of Virginia, Blue Ridge School |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
| Father’s Name | Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite |
| Mother’s Name | Aminata Kaba |
| Siblings | Not Available |
| Age | 26 years old |
| Height | 6 feet 9 inches |
| Weight | 228 lb (103 kg) |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Body Type | Athletic |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Marital Status | Not Married |
| Girlfriend | Not Available |
| Children | None |
| Active since | 2020–present |
| Teams |
|
| Achievements |
|
| Endorsements | Not Available |
| Net Worth | $1 million |
| NBA Draft Pick | 2020/Undrafted |
| Position | Power forward |
| League | NBA |
| Merch of Oklahoma City Thunder | Basketball Shorts |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | March 2023 |
From Guinea to America
Mamadi Diakite’s story of reaching America, let alone the NBA, is something that could only happen today.
Diakite, born in Conakry, Guinea’s capital, began playing soccer in his native country while growing up in a family focused on academics. Diakite, who grew in stature as he grew older, was introduced to basketball and grew to love it.
Furthermore, the lack of opportunities to play organized basketball in Guinea was a problem for Diakite as he became more dedicated to basketball.
Diakite then turned to social media, creating a Facebook page to showcase his basketball skills and eventually land somewhere in the United States to continue his basketball journey.
His Facebook Videos Caught the Attention of Hassani Fofana
Diakite’s videos drew the attention of Hassani Fofana, a fellow Guinean and former college basketball player. The latter eventually assisted Diakite in coming to the United States and enrolling at a boarding school in Virginia.
Diakite would have struggled to overcome culture shock if he hadn’t had the assistance of others.
Mamadi immediately displayed his size, speed, and athleticism while playing at Blue Ridge High School. In addition, it didn’t take long for top college programs across the country to take notice.
Diakite ultimately chose to stay close by and attend the University of Virginia. In addition, the sense of community developed in Charlottesville played a role in Diakite’s decision.
Mamadi Diakite: Age & Height
Diakite is a basketball player who was born on January 21, 1997. As a result, he is now 26 years old.
Diakite has a well-kept body and appears quite athletic in terms of physical appearance.
Furthermore, the player stands 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighs around 103 kg. Unfortunately, the rest of the athlete’s body measurements are unknown. We will update you as soon as we have the latest information on the measures.
He has beautiful dark hair and brown eyes. In addition, he is of African descent and has Guinean nationality.
Diakite was born under the astrological sign of Aquarius. In addition, Aquarius-born humans are humanitarians to the core. They are a progressive and modern group of people. They are open-minded and creative.
You might like Richaun Holmes: Net Worth, NBA & Parents.
Basketball Career
Amateur Career
Diakite began attending Blue Ridge School in the spring of 2014.
When he first arrived in the United States, he could only communicate in French, and Guinean former basketball player Mamadi Diane was among those who assisted him in adjusting.
Diakite played two seasons of basketball at Blue Ridge School. He was also a member of varsity teams in track and field and soccer because the school required students to participate in a sport each season.
Mamadi was named second-team All-VIC in soccer in 2014–15. In addition, he won the VIC high jump title back-to-back.
The basketball player was a consensus four-star recruit and the top prospect in the state of Virginia in basketball.
Furthermore, Diakite committed to Virginia on August 4, 2015, after turning down offers from several other NCAA Division I programs, including Baylor, USC, and Washington.
College Career
Diakite reclassified to the class of 2015 after committing to Virginia and redshirted his first college basketball season with Virginia, hoping to physically prepare for college basketball and adjust to the college lifestyle during 2015–16.
On November 15, 2016, he made his redshirt freshman debut, scoring eight points and grabbing four rebounds in a 72–32 win over St. Francis Brooklyn.
Diakite had a season-high 12 points in a 76–53 win over East Carolina on December 6. In addition, he averaged 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in 32 games this season.
Moreover, Diakite matched his career-high in scoring as a redshirt sophomore on November 23, 2017, with 12 points and five rebounds in a 68–42 win over Vanderbilt at the NIT Season Tip-Off.
On February 3, 2018, he scored 12 points for the second time in as many games, this time in a 59–44 victory over Syracuse. In addition, Diakite averaged 5.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game in 34 games.
He dyed his hair blonde in late February 2019 and maintained that look for the rest of his college career.
All Wins
On November 16, in the third game of his 2018–19 redshirt junior season, he scored a career-high 18 points in a 97–40 win over Coppin State.
Furthermore, Diakite matched his career-high with 18 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks against Boston College on January 9, 2019.
On March 30, he had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks in an 80–75 overtime win over third-seeded Purdue in the Elite Eight round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
Diakite’s buzzer-beating shot sent the game into overtime. They faced Auburn in the Final Four. In addition, Diakite finished with two points on 25 percent shooting. He grabbed six rebounds and played 36 minutes.
Virginia won the game 63–62 thanks to three free throws from teammate Kyle Guy. They faced Texas Tech in the 2019 National Championship.
Diakite scored 9 points on 50% shooting and grabbed seven rebounds in 25 minutes. In addition, the Virginia Cavaliers won the game in overtime, 85–77, to claim the school’s first national championship.
Withdrawal from the 2019 NBA Draft
After winning the National Championship, he declared for the 2019 NBA draft. However, the athlete withdrew his name from the draft before the withdrawal deadline to return to Virginia for his final season of eligibility.
Moreover, Diakite set a new career-high with 19 points and 13 rebounds in a 65–34 victory over James Madison on November 10, 2019.
On November 19, he matched his career-high of 19 points, helping the Cavaliers defeat Vermont 61–55.
Moreover, Diakite set a new career-high with 21 points against South Carolina on December 22. He was named to the All-ACC Second Team at the end of the regular season.
You might like Who is Russ Smith? Everything About Him>>
Journey in Milwaukee Bucks
Diakite signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks on November 24, 2020, after going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft.
When the Wisconsin Herd decided not to play in the 2020–21 season, Diakite was assigned to the Lakeland Magic to fulfill the G League portion of his contract, making his Lakeland debut on February 11, 2021.
In 12 games with Lakeland, he averaged 18.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 2.1 assists in 27.7 minutes. In addition, MamadiFcurry was named to the All-NBA G League First Team, the NBA G League All-Defensive Team, and the NBA G League All-Rookie Team.
Diakite signed a multi-year standard NBA contract on April 21, 2021, after making 11 appearances with the Bucks.
Moreover, in his rookie season with the Bucks, he won the NBA Championship. Milwaukee released him on September 24.
The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed Diakite off waivers on September 26, 2021. On October 16, however, he was released.
Oklahomo City Thunder
Diakite signed a 10-day contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 11, 2022. On January 21, Diakite signed a second 10-day contract with the Thunder.
Diakite was claimed off waivers by the Thunder before the start of the season on September 26, 2021. In addition, he appeared in two preseason games before being waived on October 16 due to a left hip fracture suffered during the preseason.
Furthermore, Diakite returned to the team on a 10-day contract through the NBA’s Covid-Related Hardship Allowance, reuniting with former UVA teammate Ty Jerome.
On January 31, he signed a third 10-day contract with the Thunder. In addition, on February 9, he was released by the team to make room on the roster for KZ Okpala, who was acquired in a trade with the Miami Heat.
Mamadi Diakite: Family
Diakite was born to Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite and Aminata Kaba in Conakry, Guinea, and was raised as a Muslim.
His father was the Guinean health inspector general, and his mother was an obstetrician.
In addition, Diakite speaks French, Maninka, Susu, and Fula fluently. When the athlete arrived in the United States to attend Blue Ridge School, he began learning English.
In 2014, his father began leading his country’s efforts against the West African Ebola virus epidemic in collaboration with the World Health Organization.
Furthermore, Diakite majored in French and minored in Global Culture and Commerce at the University of Virginia. He dyed his hair gold in February 2019 as a “nod to when he played soccer as a youth” in Guinea.
Mamadi Diakite: Girlfriend
During his games, Mamadi Diakite demonstrated exceptional abilities. As a result, he has undoubtedly won the hearts of many of his fans.
He is one of those celebrities who keeps their personal life private. Similarly, he hasn’t posted anything about his girlfriend or a family member on social media.
However, Mamadi was rumored to be dating his University of Virginia classmate, Jasmine Moore, back in 2019. However, it is unclear whether or not they are still dating.
Mamadi Diakite: Net Worth
Mamadi Diakite’s net worth is estimated to be $1 million. The athlete has accumulated most of his wealth as a professional basketball player.
Moreover, as an athlete, he must be engaged in various endorsements and sponsorships projects which add a decent amount to his wealth.
As per Hoopshypes, his average salary is $869,078. Per the Basketball-Reference, the average player salary for the 2020-2021 season is $7.5 million.
The point guard for Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, is the highest-paid NBA player, earning $45 million last year.
Moreover, the minimum salary in the NBA is always much higher than in the rest of North America’s sports leagues. If first-year players are selected in the top NBA Draft class, their starting salaries are frequently much higher (first-time players).
People also like to read about Kelly Olynyk Bio: Career, Net Worth & NBA
Mamadi Diakite is a frequent user of social media. He has over 52k Instagram followers and occasionally posts pictures of his games.
Moreover, he talks a lot about his playoffs and regular practices. His account provides an excellent professional image of him.
Diakite also has a Twitter account, which has over 14.6k followers.
FAQs
What does Diakite mean?
Diakité is a Fula-derived Malian and Senegalese surname. The surname Ba is considered equivalent in Fula culture.
Did Mamadi Diakite get drafted?
Diakite appeared to be a mid-to-late second-round pick, similar to Kyle Guy and Devon Hall, who were late draft picks by teams looking to develop talent for the future. Unfortunately for Mamadi, his name was still on the board when the 60th and final pick arrived.
