Amanda Knapp
Mamadi Diakite is a 6'9 tall Guinean basketball player who was born on January 21, 1997, in Conakry, Guinea. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers, with whom he won an NCAA national championship in 2019. Diakite is a fluent speaker of French, Maninka, Susu, and Fula and began learning English when he moved to the United States to attend the University of Virginia. He played an essential role in the Cavaliers' championship victory, and his height and athleticism have been noted as contributing factors to his success in the sport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Mamadi Diakite |
| Born | January 21, 1997 |
| Height | 6'9" (206 cm) |
| Weight | 180 lb (81.6 kg) |
| Nationality | Guinean |
| Languages | French, Maninka, Susu, Fula, English |
| Education | Blue Ridge School, University of Virginia |
| Sports Played | Basketball, Track and Field, Soccer |
| Professional Basketball Teams | Virginia Cavaliers, Valley Suns |
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What You'll Learn
Mamadi Diakite's height and weight
Mamadi Diakite is a 6'9" (206 cm) tall Guinean professional basketball player. He weighs 228 lbs (103 kg). Diakite played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers, with whom he won an NCAA national championship in 2019. He then went on to win an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.
Diakite was born in Conakry, Guinea, and grew up playing soccer in the streets and parks. However, due to his height and athleticism, he later transitioned to basketball. In an effort to pursue more basketball opportunities, Diakite moved to the United States and enrolled at Blue Ridge School in St. George, Virginia, in early 2014.
As a senior in high school, Diakite averaged 12 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks per game. He led his team to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division II state title and a Virginia Independent Conference (VIC) championship. Diakite's performance made him a consensus four-star recruit and the top prospect in the state of Virginia.
Diakite continued his success at the University of Virginia, where he played college basketball for the Cavaliers. During his time with the Cavaliers, Diakite demonstrated his offensive skills, pulling off smooth jumpers and powerful dunks. He also improved defensively year after year. In the 2018-19 season, he recorded a career-high of 18 points on two separate occasions. Diakite then helped lead the Cavaliers to the NCAA national championship in 2019, contributing 9 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in the final game against Texas Tech.
Following his successful college career, Diakite signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2020. He spent time in the G League, playing for the Lakeland Magic and averaging an impressive 18.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Diakite was named to multiple G League teams, including the All-NBA G League First Team. He then contributed to the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA championship victory in 2021.
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Diakite's career at the University of Virginia
Mamadi Diakite, a 6-foot-9-inch tall Guinean basketball player, played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers at the University of Virginia. He was born in Conakry, Guinea, and grew up playing soccer in the streets and parks. However, due to his height and athleticism, he later transitioned to basketball.
Diakite enrolled at Blue Ridge School, a private all-male boarding school in Virginia, in early 2014. When he first arrived in the United States, he could only speak French. During his time at Blue Ridge School, he played two seasons of basketball, earning varsity letters in the sport. He also participated in track and field and soccer, as the school required students to play a sport each season. In his senior year, he averaged 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game, leading his team to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division II state championship and the Virginia Independent Conference (VIC) title.
In 2015, Diakite committed to play for the University of Virginia, turning down offers from other NCAA Division I programs. He redshirted his first college basketball season to physically prepare and adjust to the college lifestyle. Diakite made his debut as a redshirt freshman on November 15, 2016, scoring 8 points and grabbing 4 rebounds in a win over St. Francis Brooklyn. During his redshirt freshman season, he averaged 3.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
In the 2017-2018 season, Diakite played in 34 games, scoring double figures in five of them. He improved his scoring, averaging 5.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game.
In the 2018-2019 season, as a redshirt junior, Diakite had several notable performances. He recorded a career-high 18 points on two separate occasions, against Coppin State and Boston College. In the Elite Eight round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament, he recorded 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks in an overtime win against Purdue, sending the game to overtime with a buzzer-beating shot. Diakite played a crucial role in the Final Four game against Auburn, grabbing 6 rebounds, and scored 9 points in the national championship game against Texas Tech, helping the Virginia Cavaliers win the NCAA national championship in 2019.
In his final season at the University of Virginia (2019-2020), Diakite started all 30 games, averaging career-highs in points (13.7) and rebounds (6.8). He was named to several prestigious teams, including the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District 3 team and the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 2 second team. He finished his UVA career ranked second all-time in blocked shots.
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His career post-college
Mamadi Diakite is a 6-foot-9 tall, Guinean professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers, with whom he won an NCAA national championship in 2019.
Diakite declared for the 2019 NBA draft after winning the national championship but withdrew before the deadline to return to Virginia for his final season of eligibility. In his final season, he set a new career-high of 19 points and 13 rebounds in a win against James Madison on November 10, 2019. He matched his career-high of 19 points on November 19, in a victory over Vermont. On December 22, he set a new career-high of 21 points in a game against South Carolina. At the conclusion of the regular season, he was selected to the Second Team All-ACC.
After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft, Diakite signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks on November 24, 2020. He won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.
Diakite is currently a player for the Valley Suns of the NBA G League. He is a fluent speaker of French, Maninka, Susu, and Fula, and he began learning English when he moved to the United States to attend the Blue Ridge School in Virginia.
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Diakite's early life and move to the US
Mamadi Diakite is a Guinean professional basketball player for the Valley Suns of the NBA G League. He was born in Conakry, Guinea, on January 21, 1997, to Aboubacar Sidiki Diakite, the health inspector general of Guinea, and Aminata Kaba, an obstetrician. Diakite was raised as a Muslim and grew up playing soccer in the streets and parks.
Diakite's early life was marked by a growth spurt that led his father to encourage him to pursue basketball due to his height and athleticism. However, Diakite initially dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player and imagined playing for the Paris Saint-Germain Academy team. Despite his potential in soccer, he made the switch to basketball, driven by his competitive nature and determination to prove doubters wrong.
Due to the limited basketball opportunities in Guinea, Diakite turned to social media to seek attention from the United States. His efforts paid off when he was contacted by Hassan Fofana, a Guinea native and former college basketball player. With Fofana's assistance, Diakite enrolled at Blue Ridge School, a boarding school in Saint George, Virginia, in early 2014. At the time, he could only speak French, and he received support from Guinean former basketball player Mamadi Diane and others to help him adjust to life in the United States.
At Blue Ridge School, Diakite excelled in both academics and athletics. In addition to basketball, he earned varsity letters in track and field and soccer. As a senior, he averaged 12 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks per game in basketball, leading his team to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division II state title and a Virginia Independent Conference (VIC) championship. He also won back-to-back VIC high jump titles and was named second-team All-VIC in soccer. Diakite's outstanding performance made him a consensus four-star recruit and the top prospect in the state of Virginia.
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Awards and achievements
Standing at an impressive height, Mamadi Diakite is a Guinean professional basketball player for the Valley Suns of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Virginia Cavaliers, winning an NCAA national championship in 2019. Here is a list of his awards and achievements:
- Diakite led Blue Ridge to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA) Division II state championship and Virginia Independent Conference (VIC) title, achieving a 22-4 record in 2014-15.
- He earned two varsity letters in basketball, track and field, and soccer at Blue Ridge.
- Diakite won the VIC high jump championship in 2014 and 2015.
- In soccer, he earned second-team All-VIC honors in 2014-15.
- As a senior in basketball at Blue Ridge, he averaged 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game.
- In 2019, Diakite and the Virginia Cavaliers won the NCAA national championship.
- In the 2018-19 season, he recorded a career-high 18 points on November 16 against Coppin State.
- On January 9, 2019, Diakite matched his career-high of 18 points, along with 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, in a victory over Boston College.
- In the 2019 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, he recorded 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocks in an overtime win against Purdue, making a crucial buzzer-beating shot to force overtime.
- In the 2019 NCAA Tournament Final Four, Diakite grabbed 6 rebounds and played 36 minutes, contributing to the team's narrow 63-62 victory over Auburn.
- In the 2019 national championship game, Diakite scored 9 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 25 minutes, helping the Cavaliers secure the title.
- During the 2019-20 season, Diakite started all 30 games, averaging career-highs in points (13.7) and rebounds (6.8).
- He was named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District 3 team in 2019-20.
- Diakite was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 2 second team during the 2019-20 season.
- He was a member of the All-ACC second team and the All-ACC Defensive team in 2019-20.
- Diakite was a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award in 2019-20.
- He was named Air Force Reserve All-Tournament during the 2019-20 season.
- Diakite finished his UVA career ranked second all-time with 156 blocked shots.
- In the NBA, he won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.
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Frequently asked questions
Diakite, a former Virginia Cavaliers basketball player, is 6 feet 9 inches tall.
Diakite weighed around 180 pounds or 226.6 pounds.
Diakite joined the Blue Ridge School, a boarding school in Virginia, in early 2014. He played two basketball seasons at Blue Ridge School before committing to the Virginia Cavaliers in 2015.
Yes, Diakite was a French major and Global Culture and Commerce minor at the University of Virginia.
