By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
French small forward Ousmane Dieng sustained a small fracture in his right ring finger and will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
Following the setback in recent G League action with the Oklahoma City Blue, his injury status was updated by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
Dieng, 21, logged 16 appearances in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, his third campaign with the Thunder since being selected with the 11th pick of the 2022 draft by the New York Knicks and subsequently traded to OKC. Starting the new season, he earned a bigger role but later fell out of the rotation of head coach Mark Daigneault.
Before being placed on the injury list, he averaged 3.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 11.6 minutes per game with the Thunder this season, including an 11-minute showing against the Portland Trail Blazers in Paycom Center on Wednesday.
After the game, Dieng was assigned to the Blue but lasted only seven minutes in a meeting with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in Paycom Center on Friday. Last season with the affiliate of the Thunder, he was crowned G League champion and named Finals MVP.
Other players on the injury list extend to Alex Caruso (right hip strain), Chet Holmgren (right iliac wing fracture), Jaylin Williams (right hamstring strain) and Isaiah Joe (left calf contusion), besides Serbian Nikola Topic recovering from left knee surgery since being drafted with the 12th pick during the offseason.