Jeremy Sochan chose the New York Knicks as his next team because he wanted to chip in towards success. The Knicks were calling his name on the open market, which was perfect. Yet, not long after his arrival, Sochan found himself out of Mike Brown’s slimmed-down rotation: the opposite of what he signed up for. That's thanks to the rookie progression of Mohamed Diawara, the 51st pick of the 2025 draft.
As Diawara is just beginning to master the art of consistency on both sides of the ball, shown by recent scoring totals of 10 at Milwaukee and 14 against the Spurs, the chance that Brown utilizes Sochan the way he once hoped in the near future looks to be in the gutter.
However, though it may be an unfortunate situation with barely any time left on his contract, Sochan’s best bet is to stay ready with an optimistic attitude for when his number is called.
Jeremy Sochan will not be jumping Mohamed Diawara anytime soon
Jeremy Sochan is a solid piece who can help the New York Knicks in certain areas, but Mohamed Diawara is very different, with a ceiling through the roof. He has earned a prominent role on the Knicks’ bench, and the backbone of it all is his confidence.
This is an aspect of Diawara’s personality that earned praise from Mike Brown following Sunday’s win, when the head coach emphasized how good the rookie can be in the same breath.
"Mo is not afraid...he's the most confident young man I've been around. He's got a chance to be really good."
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 1, 2026
Mike Brown praises Mo Diawara: pic.twitter.com/tBzowVcncS
In addition to the way Diawara carries himself and approaches the game, his personal feel for the flow of the game itself stands out. Everything appears unforced and extremely easy, and it all comes down to him understanding how to maximize his frame.
Diawara is a six-foot-nine specimen, with a seven-foot-four wingspan. As one might expect, timely contests and protecting the rim are like second nature to him. The French native has also used his size to help him establish 3-point shooting as one of his strengths.
While he may be six for his last 16 from deep through Tuesday, a good chunk of those misses have rimmed in and out. This speaks volumes. And, most importantly, missing good looks did not discourage the rookie. He simply kept trying.
Sochan might have to find a new pathway to legitimate minutes for the Knicks that does not involve outplaying Diawara. The rookie seems to have arrived, and he is evidently here to stay.