Charlotte Hornets centre Moussa Diabate averaged 3.7 offensive rebounds per game last season, the fifth-most in the NBA, despite being 6-foot-10 and giving up size to most opposing big men. He posted career highs across the board with 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists on 63.1 percent shooting, and the league named him the 2025-26 NBA Hustle Player of the Year.
The French-born centre's value lies in what he does after missed three-pointers, which often carom long toward the free-throw line. Diabate's lateral quickness lets him track those bounces down, fuelling second-chance opportunities for a Hornets team built around the outside shooting of Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and Coby White. From December 23, the night he locked down the starting job, Charlotte went 35-18, tied for the sixth-best record in the league over that span, and Diabate ranked 17th in on/off point differential at +13, according to NBA.com.
Hornets coach Charles Lee has compared Diabate's motor to Dennis Rodman and Ben Wallace. The 63.1 percent shooting came largely on putbacks and short-roll finishes rather than jumpers or isolation post work, making him a problem for defences that switch small to chase Charlotte's shooters. Even when Diabate grabs a board and does not shoot, the scramble to close out often creates a wide-open corner three for Knueppel or Miller, keeping the offence flowing.
