Mo Diarra to enter NBA Draft after one season with NC State, which ‘was incredible for me’
After one season with N.C. State, big man Mohamed Diarra announced on Wednesday that he is declaring for the NBA Draft.
“This last season at N.C. State with my teammates and coaches was incredible for me,” Diarra wrote in a statement. “It has been more than I could have imagined, and I will always cherish my time with N.C. State and our run an an ACC Championship and Final Four.
“But, my dream has always been to play in the NBA, and I’m going to turn my focus 100 percent to pursuing my professional career.”
Diarra appeared in 40 games this season and started 22 in his lone season with the Wolfpack. He averaged 6.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
His averages, however, don’t tell the whole story. Diarra recorded 311 rebounds this season, with 112 coming in the postseason. He grabbed 60 rebounds in the ACC Tournament, a league record. He surpassed Tim Duncan, who previously pulled down 56 boards in the 1996 tournament.
The French big man logged seven double-doubles in his first season with the Wolfpack. Unsurprisingly, five took place during N.C. State’s postseason run.
“Whatever my team needs, I’m here,” Diarra told The News & Observer in February. “If my team needs rebounds, I’m here. If my team needs energy, I’m here to give the energy. I can make some shots but don’t care about scoring because we have great scoring on the team. I just have to play my role.”
One of Diarra’s best performances of the year came against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament title game. The junior scored 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including a 3. He added 14 rebounds, three steals and three blocks.
Diarra told the N&O before the title game the team wasn’t going to lose to the Tar Heels a third time — something he said before the Syracuse game just days earlier.
“I always, always do what I’m saying. Always do what I’m saying,” Diarra said in March. “If I say we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna do it. And I chose my team. I chose my teammates. I love them. They gave everything they got, and right now we are grateful.”
His success came during Ramadan, a period of fasting in the Muslim faith. Diarra became known as “Ramadan Mo.”
Diarra joined N.C. State in 2023-24. He started his career at Garden City Community College in Kansas and spent one season at Missouri.
Survive. Advance. Eat? NC State’s Mohamed Diarra playing through Ramadan fast
