Gorgui Dieng is a professional basketball player of Senegalese origin who runs his business with the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA. The basketball star originally nurtured his talents in his home country before moving to the United States as a teenager. In the first round of drafting, Dieng first went to Utah Jazz in the 2013 NBA Draft, then he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night. On the international front, he represents the Senegalese national basketball team.
Gorgui Dieng Bio (Age)
Gorgui Sy Dieng was born on January 18, 1990, in Kébémer, Senegal. He completed his high school education at the Sports for Education and Economic Development (SEEDS) Academy, the leading student-athlete academy in Africa, in Thies, Senegal. As a teenager, the young man was initially attracted to football, but out of curiosity he decided to play basketball and since then there has been no turning back. Among other highlights of these early years, Dieng participated in the 2009 edition of the “Basketball without Borders” camp in South Africa and was named MVP of the camp for his outstanding achievements. This tournament was an important turning point for Dieng and also marked the beginning of his journey into the NBA.
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At the beginning of the 2009/10 season, Gorgui Dieng transferred to Huntington Prep School in West Virginia, where he completed his last year of high school. In his senior season, he recorded an average of 15.4 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 7.2 blocks per game. By the end of his high school years, the talented young man was considered a 4-star recruit, No. 10 in the Power Forwards, and No. 44 of the 2010 class of players. Among several scholarship offers, Dieng chose the University of Louisville, and in April 2010, he made a first oral commitment to the program.
Gorgui Dieng’s first season on the Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team was stalled when the NCAA declared him ineligible to play in the 2010-11 season. However, the decision was overturned on October 26, 2010, whereupon he participated in 29 games of the season.
Dieng was given more playing time than the sophomore who played in all 40 games of the 2011/12 season. At the end of his college career, the talented player finished his junior season with a career highlight of 9.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He also served as a student representative on the Board of Directors of the University of Louisville 2012-13 Athletic Federation, the governing body of the Cardinals’ Athletic Department.
NBA Career
Gorgui Dieng gave up his last year of college and participated in the 2013 NBA Draft, where he finished 21st in the first round of the Utah Jazz competition, but was quickly converted to a Draft Day contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Dieng had a rather slow start during the regular 2013-14 season but made great progress in the second half of the season. On March 20, 2014, he scored 22 points and 21 rebounds in the Timberwolves game against the Houston Rockets and became the first rookie to reach a 20-20 game in the franchise’s history. These and several other successes earned him a place on the second NBA All-Rookie Team.
In the 2014-15 season, Dieng made a total of 73 appearances, and his goal difference average rose to 9.7 points and career highlights of 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 blocked shots per game. In the two seasons that followed, he remained in this top form, finishing each season with at least 10 points per game and playing in all 82 games of each season.
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After the arrival of striker Taj Gibson at the Minnesota Timberwolves, Gorgui Dieng’s season became very irregular in the 2017-18 season. He started no game in all 79 games and his regular-season average dropped to 5.9 points and 4.6 rebounds. Dieng is expected to remain with the Timberwolves until 2020, after signing a four-year $64 million contract extension with the team in October 2016.
His Wife and Family
The mother and father of Gorgui Dieng are Seynabou Diagne and Momar Dieng. He grew up in a large household with 7 siblings and up to 30 cousins, aunts, uncles, and other relatives. In contrast to his professional career in the NBA, Dieng keeps a low profile with regard to his private life. Apart from a few red carpet appearances with his wife Amalia, not much is known about the NBA star’s family life. Dieng and his wife also have a son whose identity continues to elude the media.
Gorgui Dieng Height, Weight, and Body Stats
Gorgui Dieng has an impressive height of 211 cm (6 ft 11 inches). he maintains his athletic physique with a bodyweight of 114 kg (251 lbs).
