Mamadi Diakite must improve to earn playing time for the Milwaukee Bucks

How Diakite can improve for the Milwaukee Bucks: 3. Become an elite defender

Shaquille O’Neal recently declared himself the fourth-best center of all time. The names he put before his own are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. While Jabbar and Chamberlain are two of the greatest scorers in NBA history, there’s only one reason O’Neal placed Russell higher on the list than himself: defense.

In the modern era, where individual scoring prowess is higher than ever, elite defenders are still a valuable commodity. Take Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers, for instance. he has never been heavily relied upon for offense, yet he signed a four-year extension reportedly worth $80 million in October of 2018. The Pacers were willing to invest that type of money in Turner because they knew he could become an elite rim protector. This past season, he proved them right as he won the shot-blocking title by averaging 3.4 blocks per game. In the case of Turner, an elite defender is worth his weight in gold.

Mamadi Diakite must realize he will never be called upon for offense but he can still be a very solid pro. He has all the tools to be one of the best defensive power forwards in the game, an elite rebounder, and a valuable contributor to his team. He didn’t see the court very much as a rookie; he desperately needs to change that narrative next season. If he hits the weight room, crashes the glass and concentrates on defense, he is capable of doing just that.