Dieng's confidence grows with Senegal experience

MINNESOTA (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - Gorgui Dieng is one of international basketball's brightest stars.

That is the only conclusion to be drawn after two years of dominating performances with Senegal's national team.

The 25-year-old followed up his rookie campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves by making a huge splash at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain, leading his country past the Group Phase of the competition for the first time in its history.

This summer, Dieng led Senegal to a fourth-place finish at AfroBasket 2015 and a spot in one of next year's FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournaments (OQTs).

He was named in a spectacular All-Star Five for Africa's flagship event.

Dieng, some people would argue, was the best player in Tunisia after leading the tournament with averages of 22.9 points and 14.9 rebounds per game.

If you think the novelty of putting on the national team shirt has worn off for the former standout with the Louisville Cardinals in American college basketball, think again.

"I will be there any time my country needs me," Dieng said.

That means you can go ahead and pencil in the 2.11m power forward's name on the roster for next July when Senegal will play in one of three six-team OQTs.

The sides that win each OQT will clinch spots in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games tournament field.

Dieng and his teammates had hoped to avoid the OQT but they needed to win the AfroBasket.

Senegal went unbeaten until the Semi-Finals, when they lost, 88-79, after overtime to eventual champions Nigeria.

Dieng had 20 points and 16 rebounds in that game.

I think we played well but we didn't accomplish our goal. - Dieng

"Our goal was to qualify for the Olympics," Dieng said.

"Now there is the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

"[But] I played good and helped my team to go as high as they could."

What Dieng has discovered in each of the past two summers is that by playing for Senegal, he has the added bonus of getting real competition during the NBA's off-season.

"It's always good to play real games," he said.

"You can work out, but if you play one game, it's like 20 workouts for me.

"It helped me to keep my confidence up and hopefully, I'll do the same thing I've been doing at the AfroBasket here [in Minnesota]."

The summer of 2015 was especially sweet for Dieng, too, because he got a chance to work out with one of the all-time greats of Africa, Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon.

The two played for Team Africa in the NBA Africa Game staged in Johannesburg on 1 August.

"I got a chance to learn from him," Dieng said.

"It's all about repetition.

"I think my offensive game got a lot better."

Dieng's confidence is high and his performances are getting better and better.

"The sky is the limit," he said.

FIBA