Second-round pick Mohamed Diawara made a lasting impression in Summer League for the New York Knicks, and will now remain with the team for the foreseeable future.
On Friday, Cholet Basket, the French team that Diawara previously played for, announced that he will be leaving the team to join the New York Knicks in the U.S. Diawara has spent the last four seasons in France, and only spent last season with Cholet Basket.
“Arriving from Paris in the summer of 2024 and recently a gold medalist at the U20 Euro with the French national team, Mohamed Diawara had a clear goal: to join the NBA,” a statement from Cholet Basket on X read (translated by Grok). “It’s now a done deal: Mo was selected as the 51st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks and has decided to continue his journey in the United States.”
“Throughout the season, Mo brought his energy and defensive impact to the team, both in Betclic Elite and the FIBA Europe Cup. Cholet Basket would like to warmly thank him for his dedication, motivation, and professionalism.”
Diawara was drafted 51st overall by the Knicks after averaging 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds with Cholet Basket last season. Diawara would then suit up for the Knicks during Summer League, where he averaged 7.0 points and 5.2 rebounds in four appearances. The 20-year-old showed promising flashes throughout Summer League and now will stay in the states to develop even further.