Charlotte Hornets centre Moussa Diabate average 3.7 offensive rebounds per game last season, di fifth-most for NBA, even though e be 6-foot-10 and e dey give up size to most of di opposing big men. E post career highs across board wit 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists on 63.1 percent shooting, and di league name am di 2025-26 NBA Hustle Player of di Year.
Di French-born centre value dey for wetin e do afta missed three-pointers, wey dey carom long toward di free-throw line. Diabate lateral quickness dey let am track dem bounces down, as e dey fuel second-chance opportunities for Hornets team wey dem build around outside shooting of Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel and Coby White. From December 23, di night wey e lock down starting job, Charlotte go 35-18, tie for di sixth-best record for di league over dat span, and Diabate rank 17th for on/off point differential at +13, according to NBA.com.
Hornets coach Charles Lee don compare Diabate motor to Dennis Rodman and Ben Wallace. Di 63.1 percent shooting come mostly from putbacks and short-roll finishes, no be jumpers or isolation post work, and dat one dey make am problem for defences wey dey switch small to chase Charlotte shooters. Even when Diabate grab board and e no shoot, di scramble to close out dey create wide-open corner three for Knueppel or Miller, as dem dey keep di offence dey flow.
