Mohamed Diawara was taken with the 51st pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He was selected by the LA Clippers, who then traded the pick to the New York Knicks. Now, fast-forward to November 6, 2025, and Mohamed Diawara scored his first NBA basket in Madison Square Garden.
Diawara's draft day reaction is exactly why you watch the NBA Draft. To see young men's dreams come true. From his living room in France, Diawara was overcome with emotion as he watched everything he worked for come to fruition.
“YEAAAAAHH! LETS GOOOO”
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 27, 2025
“Thank you. See you soon. Yessir”
— Mohamed Diawara celebrates being drafted by the Knicks and takes a call from the front office pic.twitter.com/vA4pLAXCAg
Mohamed Diawara's journey to the NBA
Diawara's basketball journey started in Paris, France. He began with La Domremy 13 before moving on to the Saint Charles Basket's youth system. Diawara then went on join the prestigious INSEP academy in 2020.
The National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance is a French public institution for high level athletes located near Paris. They provide state-of-the-art facilities and scientific, medical and educational support for the best french athletes out there.
That is where Diawara's game blossomed and as a result, he signed with Paris Basketball making his first-division debut in the 2021-2022 season. He won MVP at the 2022 Basketball without Borders camp in Milan, which officially put him on scouts' radar.
He had a quiet 2023-24 season and was loaned to second-division side Poitiers Basket 86 to gain more experience before signing with Cholet in 2024.
International experience transitions to the game's biggest stage
He steadily grew over time and his success at the international level transitioned to every basketball's player goal - getting drafted to the NBA. He then moved on from the goal of getting drafted and set his sights on a new goal - scoring his first NBA basket.
In a game where the Knicks dominated the Timberwolves, Mohamed Diawara got his opportunity late in the fourth quarter.
As part of a 43-point fourth quarter, Diawara scored at the 1:30 mark, capping off the Knicks' 23-point victory.
While it was a basket in garbage time, a basket is a basket nonetheless. Diawara may not be a star player, or a regular rotation piece - but being a member of the most elite professional league in pro sports can't be taken away from him.
His road to the NBA and hard work can't be taken away from him - and neither can his first NBA basket in Madison Square Garden.