The French Basketball Federation trimmed its preliminary EuroBasket roster to 14 players on August 8, removing three names, including NBA forward Ousmane Dieng of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets big man Moussa Diabate.
Former Knicks lottery pick Frank Ntilikina was the third player dropped. France must release two more athletes before the tournament tips off later this month to meet the 12-man limit.
What the cuts mean for the NBA duo
Dieng, the No. 11 overall selection in the 2022 draft, is entering the final season of his rookie-scale contract, worth $6.67 million in 2025-26. Although he is extension-eligible, the 22-year-old forward is not expected to receive a new deal this summer and is instead focused on maintaining his place on a deep Thunder roster. He is the only player on Oklahoma City’s 15-man squad without team control beyond 2025-26.
Diabate’s outlook in Charlotte is equally pivotal. The 6-10 center owns a non-guaranteed $2.27 million salary for next season and is competing for one of 15 roster spots on a club that currently lists 18 standard contracts—16 of them guaranteed. The 23-year-old averaged 5.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in 17.5 minutes across 71 games last year and could remain in the rotation given the Hornets’ thin frontcourt depth.
France’s remaining NBA presence
Despite the latest cuts, France still features several current and former NBA players, including Wizards youngsters Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, and ex-NBA guards Theo Maledon, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Elie Okobo.
Imagem: Luke Adams via hoopsrumors.com
The team will finalize its 12-man roster ahead of EuroBasket, which begins later in August.
Source: Hoops Rumors
