DeSagana Diop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007) |
| Position | Center |
|---|---|
| Height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Weight | 280 lb (130 kg) |
| League | NBA |
| Team | New Jersey Nets |
| Jersey | #14 |
| Born | January 30, 1982 Dakar, Senegal |
| Nationality |  Senegalese |
| High school | Oak Hill Academy, Virginia, USA |
| Draft | 8th overall, 2001 Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Pro career | 2001–present |
| Former teams | Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-2005) Dallas Mavericks (2005-2008) |
| Official profile | Info Page |
DeSagana N'gagne Diop (pronounced [səˈɡɑːnə ˈdʒɒp] Suh-GAH-nah JOP) (born January 30, 1982 in Dakar, Senegal) is a Senegalese professional basketball player currently playing for the NBA's New Jersey Nets. Standing seven feet tall (213 cm) and weighing 280 lbs. (127 kg), Diop's natural position is center.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
After he began practicing basketball at the age of 15, Diop succeeded in averaging 14.6 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 8.0 blocks during his senior high school season, earning the USA Today Virginia Player of the Year title and leading Oak Hill Academy to a #1 nation ranking (33 wins, 0 losses).
[edit] NBA career
Diop was originally drafted directly out of Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 8th overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft. [2] He played 193 games in four seasons with the Cavaliers, as a rarely looked at backup, averaging 1.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 10.8 minutes per contest.
Being deemed a castoff in Cleveland he was wisely signed by the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent on August 19, 2005 to a three-year contract. Where Diop quickly established himself as a defensive stalwart and potent shot blocker and rebounder, providing relief for Erick Dampier as a center. After December 31, 2005, he started most of the games for the Mavericks. Measurably assisting in their vast improvement and strong drive that resulted in the team qualifying to play in the NBA finals as representatives of the western conference.
Against the New York Knicks in a pre-season game, Diop hit the game-winning tip-in of a missed shot by Keith Van Horn. Against the Denver Nuggets in November 2005, he registered 16 rebounds with a career-high 6 blocks - including a denial of Carmelo Anthony's potentially game-winning field goal attempt.[1]
Although the 2005-2006 season was clearly a breakthrough for Diop, he continues to work hard. In an interview with a Dallas paper he said that his main focus for the summer will be "post moves and conditioning."[citation needed]
Diop's defense is applauded around the league; for the 05-06 season, he ranked 11th in total blocks, 14th in blocks per game, and 4th in blocks per 48 minutes.[2][3][4]
On February 19, 2008, Diop was traded to the New Jersey Nets along with signed and traded Keith Van Horn, Devin Harris, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, $3 million cash and 2008 and 2010 first round draft picks in exchange for Jason Kidd, Malik Allen and Antoine Wright.[5]
[edit] Player profile
Diop is primarily a shot blocking, rebounding and rim defending defensive specialist. He is considered an excellent shot blocker (among the top 3 in blocks per-48 minutes) because of his large wingspan, and is athletic and mobile enough to cover quicker big men. While he has little offensive game, he has a good 15-foot jumpshot which he rarely uses and is known to throw a dunk or two. In addition, he tries hard and is rarely seen tired while on the floor, his proneness to fouls are attributed to his aggressive posture to block and contest shots and at times limits his playing time. One criticism of Diop is his inferior foul-shooting which is a rather common trait among defensive big men.
His work ethic and improved rebounding and shot-blocking ability inspired Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson to start him over the more experienced Erick Dampier. The Mavs went on to win 13-straight games after the change. Prior to this, Diop had an apparently misconceived reputation of being overweight and lazy during his four unsuccessful years in Cleveland as a member of the Cavaliers. Where he was drafted directly out of high school and yet wasn't given much playing time to develop. Where after joining the Mavericks, and getting significantly more opportunity and floor time. Diop lost a significant amount of weight and performed beyond what the stigma he'd had placed upon him in Cleveland.
In Game 7 of the 2006 playoff matchup between San Antonio and Dallas, Diop was called the "unsung hero" of the game after grabbing two crucial offensive rebounds, disrupting a number of opponents shots and playing very solid defense on Tim Duncan in the 4th quarter and overtime with a broken nose.
On April 11, 2007, Diop recorded his first double-double with season-highs of 10 points and 15 rebounds in a 105-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
[edit] Trivia
 |
Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- Diop speaks five languages[6]: (Arabic, English, French, Wolof and some Spanish).[6] He participated in the NBA’s “Basketball Without Borders” program in Africa during mid-2004.
- In March 2006, two Mavericks fans produced a version of the hip-hop song "Jump" by Kris Kross. In their version, the refrain "Jump! Jump!" was turned into "Diop! Diop!", and the video praises Diop's shotblocking ability. It became so popular that the Mavs started to play the video at their home games. Diop said, "I remember the first time they played the video during a timeout and I was trying to pay attention to what coach [Johnson] was trying to say but I was sneaking looks at the video."[7]
[edit] Notes
- ^ ESPN - Denver vs. Dallas Recap, November 15, 2005
- ^ ESPN - NBA Statistics and League Leaders - National Basketball Association
- ^ ESPN - NBA Statistics and League Leaders - National Basketball Association
- ^ ESPN - NBA Statistics and League Leaders - National Basketball Association
- ^ Nets Acquire Harris
- ^ a b Cavaliers: Cavalier DeSagana Diop Holds a Special Reading Timeout in French with St. Ignatius High School Students
- ^ [1][dead link]
[edit] External links
|
|||||
