Home ‘Hoos in the NBA update: Mamadi Diakite signs two-way deal with Cleveland Cavaliers
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‘Hoos in the NBA update: Mamadi Diakite signs two-way deal with Cleveland Cavaliers

Chris Graham
mamadi diakite
Mamadi Diakite. Photo: Dan Grogan

UVA Basketball alum Mamadi Diakite signed a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

The Cavs had waived Diakite, who’d averaged 9.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game, shooting 82.4 percent from the floor and 57.1 percent from three-point range in four preseason games in Cleveland, on Saturday.

The word at that time was that the team was interested in signing Diakite to a two-way deal if he was to clear waivers.

It is likely that Diakite will spend the bulk of his time with the Cavs’ G League affiliate, the Cleveland Charge.

The 2020 UVA alum has played in 27 regular-season NBA games with Milwaukee and Oklahoma City, averaging 3.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

Diakite signed three 10-day contracts with OKC last season and got a decent look with the Thunder, getting three starts and averaging 14.5 minutes per game.

His statline in OKC: 4.3 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, on 53.2 percent shooting from the field.

Before getting the call-up to Milwaukee in his rookie season in 2021, Diakite averaged 18.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game in the G League for the Lakeland Magic, earning All-NBAGL first-team and All-Defensive Team honors.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019, and Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, and The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, published in 2018. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].