Dubai Basketball continued reshaping its roster for the 2026-27 season on Tuesday by announcing the signing of forward-center Mamadi Diakite to a multi-year contract following his standout campaign with Baskonia.
Diakite arrives after establishing himself as one of the EuroLeague’s top defensive big men during his first season in the competition. The 28-year-old averaged 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 19.3 minutes across 37 EuroLeague games while posting a performance index rating (PIR) of 10.1. He also led Spain’s Liga Endesa in blocked shots and helped Baskonia capture the 2026 Spanish Cup.
One of Diakite’s best performances of the season came against his new club. Facing Dubai in EuroLeague play, he erupted for 27 points and a PIR of 37, showcasing the athleticism and versatility that convinced the expansion club to invest in him long term.
In announcing the signing, Dubai highlighted Diakite’s development from Guinea to the NBA before becoming an impact player in Europe.
Born in Conakry, Guinea, Diakite moved to the United States as a teenager and starred at the University of Virginia, helping the Cavaliers win the 2019 NCAA championship. He later reached the NBA, winning an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 before spending time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.
Across four NBA seasons, Diakite appeared in 55 games, averaging 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 48.3% from the field. Although he never secured a full-time rotation role in the NBA, he continued his development through multiple organizations before making the move to Europe.
His first season with Baskonia proved to be a breakthrough. In Liga Endesa competition, Diakite averaged 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and a league-best 1.7 blocks while shooting 55.4% from the field and 38.4% from three-point range. His ability to protect the rim while stretching the floor made him one of the most productive frontcourt additions in European basketball last season.
Dubai is counting on those skills after narrowly missing the EuroLeague postseason in its debut campaign. The club finished 19-19, good for 11th place, just outside the play-in positions after ending the regular season with a minus-one point differential.
The signing also reflects a busy offseason for Dubai. The club appointed veteran coach Xavi Pascual and has already added Elie Okobo, Jaron Blossomgame and Davion Mintz while parting ways with Nate Mason, Bruno Caboclo, Taran Armstrong, Matt Ryan, Boogie Ellis and loaning Aleksa Avramovic.
Diakite strengthens a frontcourt that featured productive seasons from Mfiondu Kabengele, Filip Petrusev and Kenan Kamenjas.
