Acquired in a draft night trade with the Boston Celtics last summer, Atlanta Hawks big man Mouhamed Gueye’s development may be as important as any of their rookie’s.
Hawks Rookie Mouhamed Gueye Putting On a Show After Injury
6-foot-11 and 227 pounds, Gueye’s game would fit in any area.
Easing the Transition
Like the best mobile big man, he has grab-and-go potential. When he gets his hands on a board, he has nascent guard skills in the open floor, making him an even more formidable transition threat than he would be just with his physical traits. That said, 28.6 percent of Gueye’s field goals have been fastbreak points.
A Mo Gueye minute pic.twitter.com/GICI1mjtle
— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) March 6, 2024
When assessing his future role with the Hawks, noting his play in these scenarios is particularly relevant. With their trade of former fan favorite John Collins, Atlanta lost a lot of athleticism in their offense. They’re not incapable of bending defenses vertically. However, they’re less likely to finish above the rim in transition. Consequently, they’re forced to attempt tougher finishes than they could have had with a player like Collins in tow.
To that point, though Jalen Johnson is no stranger to poster dunks, the Hawks lost a staple of their halfcourt offense when Collins was traded as well. In fact, over five seasons, Trae Young had doled out 697 assists to Collins. That’s the highest count for an NBA pairing in that stretch.
The chemistry that the Wake Forest product had formed with Young has been lost. Fortunately for the Hawks, there’s plenty of overlap in the strengths of Collins and Gueye. Over time, Young could find similar success with Gueye as he had with Collins as his lab partner.
One-on-One Offense
Notably, Gueye can also attack the rim in the halfcourt. Lanky, fluid, and coordinated, Gueye looks natural scoring off-the-dribble. That he’s fearsome dunker enhances his driving ability. Dunking through and over opponents in a display of strength of explosiveness, Gueye’s lanky frame belies the force with which he plays.
His post-ups are praiseworthy as well. With nimble footwork and inventive finishes, he has an even better chance of providing the Hawks with consistent offense in one-on-one matchups.
Yet, though he has the potential to be lethal inside the paint, Gueye has shown the ability to nail jumpers from outside. The Senegal native looks like a natural. This enhances his value with the Hawks due to their balanced attack.
In a Quin Snyder offense, 3s reign supreme. However, like any good coach, he yields to his team’s strengths and allows them to attack off the dribble.
A Modern-Day Big Man
Gueye’s shooting ability makes him valuable to any team in the league.
Even before 3-pointers became the premier shot attempt in the NBA, teams were looking for big men that could space the floor. It enhanced their ability to get to the rim or score off of post-ups without being overly concerned about help defenders.
The altered floor spacing also led to the need for big men capable of guarding out on the perimeter. To that point, Gueye is able to alter shots around the rim and guard out on the perimeter.
By The Numbers
Gueye leads the College Park Skyhawks, the Hawks’ official G League affiliate, with 26.7 points per 36 minutes.
He’s done so while shooting 58.8 percent from the field and though he’s only shot 25.0 percent from 3, he’s only on four total attempts. Gueye is also averaging 5.1 steals and 3.8 blocks per 36 minutes, both of which rank first among Skyhawks players who played more than one game. His net rating (+16.7) is the best among Skyhawks players who played more than one game as well.
Gueye has only played two games in the G League. Still, his statistical output is undeniably worth noting. That he’s doing this in his first real action since sustaining a lower back stress fracture on Nov. 12 is all the more impressive.
Furthermore, Gueye has also performed well in the Summer League and preseason since being drafted. Already relatively well-rounded as a rookie, prioritizing Gueye’s development could be an x-factor for the Hawks.
