Mamadi Diakite is a Guinean professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Diakite is an emerging player who moved to the United States for better opportunities. With all his hard work, he has become one of the well-established players.
Playing collegiate basketball for four seasons, Diakite was a massive success as a former Virginia Cavalier in his rookie season.
The professional basketball player 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 in the G League.
By the end of his first year, he had won a G League championship, a multi-year standard contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, and an NBA championship.
Moreover, Mamadi was one of the top interior forces during his time with the Lakeland Magic, racking 10.4 rebounds, 2.8 of which came on offense, and 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 | 27 Years Old |
| Height | 6’9″/2.06 m/206 cm |
| Weight | 103 kg/228 lb. |
| 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 |
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| Achievements |
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| Endorsements | Not Available |
| Net Worth | $1 million |
| NBA Draft Pick | 2020/Undrafted |
| Position | Power forward |
| League | NBA |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Age & Height
Diakite was born in 1997, making him 27 years old as of 2024.
He has a well-maintained body and appears quite athletic in terms of physical appearance.
Furthermore, the player stands 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 meters) tall and weighs around 103 kg (228 pounds).
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, the Guinean player is of African descent.
Diakite was born under the astrological sign of Aquarius, and people of this sign are considered progressive and modern; they are open-minded and creative.
Family
Diakite was born to Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite and Aminata Kaba on February 27, 1997, in Conakry, Guinea, and was raised as a Muslim.
His father was the Guinean health inspector general, and his mother was an obstetrician. In 2014, his father began leading his country’s efforts against the West African Ebola virus epidemic in collaboration with the World Health Organization.
In addition, the professional basketball player speaks French, Maninka, Susu, and Fula fluently.
The athlete began learning English when he arrived in the United States to attend Blue Ridge School.
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.
From Guinea To America
Despite growing up in a family focused on academics, Diakite used to play soccer in his native country as a child.
As he became older, he grew in stature and was introduced to basketball. Eventually, he started to love the game.
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 landed 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. Fofana eventually assisted Diakite to get enrolled at a boarding school in Virginia.
While playing at Blue Ridge High School, he immediately displayed strength, speed, and athleticism.
In addition, it didn’t take long for top college programs across the country to take notice of him.
Diakite ultimately chose to stay close by and attend the University of Virginia. The sense of community developed in Charlottesville played a role in Diakite’s decision.
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 the few who assisted him in adjusting.
The professional athlete played two seasons with Blue Ridge School basketball team. 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 the 2014–15 season. Additionally, he won the VIC high jump title back-to-back.
He was a consensus four-star recruit and the top prospect in Virginia in basketball.
After high school, he 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 season with Virginia, hoping to physically prepare for college basketball and adjust to the college lifestyle.
On November 15, 2016, he made his redshirt freshman debut, scoring 8 points and grabbing 4 rebounds in a 72–32 win over St. Francis Brooklyn.
He had a season-high 12 points in a 76–53 win over East Carolina on December 6. In his rookie season, he averaged 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in 32 games.
Diakite matched his career-high in scoring as a redshirt sophomore on November 23, 2017, with 12 points and 5 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 a 59–44 victory over Syracuse. He 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 then career-high 18 points in a 97–40 win over Coppin State.
The former Virginia Cavaliers matched his career-high with 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks against Boston College on January 9, 2019.
On March 30, he registered 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 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 and he finished the game with two points and six rebounds in 36 minutes.
The Virginia Cavaliers faced Texas Tech in the 2019 National Championship after lifting the Final Four title.
They won the game in overtime, 85–77, to claim the school’s first national championship, where Diakite recorded 9 points with 50% shooting and 7 rebounds in 25 minutes.
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 deadline to return to Virginia for his final season of eligibility.
Upon his return, Diakite set a new then 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.
The former Virginia Cavaliers’ power forward set a new career-high with 21 points against South Carolina on December 22.
By the end of his final regular season, he was named to the All-ACC Second Team.
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, he was assigned to the Lakeland Magic to fulfill the G League part 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, Mamadi 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.
In his rookie season with the Bucks, he won the NBA Championship but was released on September 24, 2021.
The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed off his waivers on September 26, 2021. However, he was waived on October 16.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Diakite signed a 10-day contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 11, 2022, followed by another 10-day contract on January 21.
After signing a third 10-day contract with the Thunder, he was released on February 9 to make room for KZ Okpala, acquired in a trade with the Miami Heat.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Guinean player signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers on September 26, 2022. He was waived by the team on October 16, but two days later, he resigned to a two-way contract.
Girlfriend
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.
Net Worth
Mamadi Diakite’s net worth is estimated to be $1 million as of 2024. The athlete has accumulated most of his wealth from his professional basketball career.
As an athlete, he must be engaged in various endorsements and sponsorships projects, adding a decent amount to his wealth.
As per spotrac, his annual salary with the Cavaliers is $508,891. With the Oklahoma City Thunder, he bagged $839,078, and with the Bucks, he earned $529,341.
In his career so far, he has reportedly earned well above $2 million.
Mamadi Diakite is an avid social media user. He likes to keep his fan updated, and his posts feature him during the games.
He is available on Instagram under the handle @_mdiakite25 and Twitter @_mdiakite.
Instagram: 55.9k followers
Twitter: 15.2k followers
Popularity
Playing in the NBA as an Undrafted Free Agent and earning the NBA and G League championships in his rookie season, Mamadi Diakite has gained popularity thoroughly.
The above graph gives brief information about the popularity of Mamadi Diakite based on Google searches in the United States over a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Diakite mean? Diakité is a name of a clan of the Fulani people derived from the name of the town of Dia in Mali. Did Mamadi Diakite get drafted? After declaring his name for the 2020 NBA draft, he remained unpicked till the end. Despite being predicted to be a mid-to-late second-round pick, similar to Kyle Guy and Devon Hall, who were late draft picks by teams, his name was still on the board when the 60th and final pick arrived.
Diakité is a name of a clan of the Fulani people derived from the name of the town of Dia in Mali.
Did Mamadi Diakite get drafted?
After declaring his name for the 2020 NBA draft, he remained unpicked till the end. Despite being predicted to be a mid-to-late second-round pick, similar to Kyle Guy and Devon Hall, who were late draft picks by teams, his name was still on the board when the 60th and final pick arrived.
