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Gorgui Dieng: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

By Adam Ziobrowski

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 30: Gorgui Dieng #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves boxes out against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 30, 2017 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 30: Gorgui Dieng #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves boxes out against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 30, 2017 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE ( /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MARCH 30: Gorgui Dieng Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – MARCH 30: Gorgui Dieng Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Good

As mentioned, Dieng is one of the most fundamentally sharp players in the league.

He provides most of the traits many big men do not anymore. He sets on and off ball screens frequently, he takes more charges than anyone on the team (21 last season) and he just flat-out works hard.

It is not Dieng’s rebounding nor his high shooting percentage that tops off his game. A player like him provides hustle that can’t be taught, which is the best part about Dieng.

The Timberwolves have enough threats to score and play flashy on offense.

Dieng, however, sticks to his guns. Yes, you can argue that his presence down low and his ability to shoot as a big man are his best assets. This game highlight against the Thunder, thanks to @AWAWBlog via twitter, shows his versatility as a scorer and a defender.

However, just as any coach has ever said, it is the little things that count. Dieng’s hustle is a little thing that gives him his best asset as a player. He is still a well-balanced player on both sides of the ball. He averaged 10.0 points per game shooting 50 percent while adding 7.9 rebounds per game last season. Still, when a player shows as much hustle as Dieng it is hard not to tag that as their best feature.

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