Ousmane Dieng Shines in Career Night for Bucks After Thunder Trade

The former Thunder lottery pick is thriving in Milwaukee after a chaotic trade deadline move.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Ousmane Dieng, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, had a career-best performance for the Milwaukee Bucks just a week after being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dieng posted 19 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 6 assists, and a steal in the Bucks' blowout win over the Thunder, continuing his impressive play since being re-routed to Milwaukee at the trade deadline.

Why it matters

Dieng's breakout game showcases the potential the Thunder saw in the young forward, even as he struggled to find consistent minutes in Oklahoma City. The trade highlights the Thunder's player development program, which helped Dieng improve in the G League before ultimately trading him to a contender where he can thrive.

The details

Dieng was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, selected by the Thunder. Though he struggled to earn consistent playing time in Oklahoma City, the team worked with Dieng in the G League, where he led the OKC Blue to a G League title and was named Finals MVP. After the trade deadline, Dieng was re-routed from Charlotte to Chicago before landing with the Bucks, where he has now posted back-to-back career-high performances.

  • Dieng was drafted by the Thunder with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
  • Dieng led the OKC Blue to a G League title and was named Finals MVP while on the Thunder's G League affiliate.
  • Dieng was traded from the Thunder to the Hornets at the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline.
  • Dieng was then re-routed from the Hornets to the Bulls and finally landed with the Bucks.
  • On February 13, 2026, Dieng had a career-high performance of 19 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, 6 assists, and 1 steal in a Bucks win over the Thunder.

The players

Ousmane Dieng

A 6-foot-10 forward who was the 11th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dieng struggled to earn consistent minutes in Oklahoma City but thrived in the team's G League program, leading the OKC Blue to a title and winning Finals MVP.

Mark Daigneault

The head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who worked closely with Dieng on developing his game and "playing with more force" during his time in Oklahoma City.

Kameron Woods

The former head coach of the OKC Blue, the Thunder's G League affiliate, where Dieng led the team to a championship and was named Finals MVP.

Mason Plumlee

The veteran center who the Thunder acquired from the Hornets in the trade that sent Dieng to Charlotte.

Jared McCain

The player the Thunder signed after waiving Mason Plumlee to make room on the roster.

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What they’re saying

“We want guys to leave here and do well. We don't want to be a program that has a reputation of leaving here and not doing well. If guys leave here and do well, that's good for us in a lot of different ways.”

— Mark Daigneault, Head Coach, Oklahoma City Thunder (SI.com)

“We spent a lot of time with [Ousmane Dieng]. We have a four-year relationship with him from our staff, teammates, everybody, and he was a great professional and did everything we asked him to do while he's here.”

— Mark Daigneault, Head Coach, Oklahoma City Thunder (SI.com)

What’s next

It remains to be seen what Dieng's long-term role will be with the Bucks, as the team will have a big decision to make on his future this offseason when he hits restricted free agency.

The takeaway

Dieng's breakout performance in Milwaukee showcases the value of the Thunder's player development program, as the team helped the young forward improve his game in the G League before trading him to a contender where he can now thrive at the NBA level.