Santa Cruz Warriors Acquire Center Cheikh Mbacke Diong

SANTA CRUZ, CA - The Santa Cruz Warriors, the NBA G League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors, have acquired center Cheikh Mbacke Diong from the available player pool, it was announced today.

    Diong (6’11”, 235) was waived by the Cleveland Charge from their 2024 training camp roster before being acquired from the available player pool by the Westchester Knicks on November 19, 2024. The Senegal native logged 14 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks in six Tip-Off Tournament and regular season games for Westchester before being placed on waivers by the Knicks on January 1, 2025. The 25-year-old had a five-year collegiate career at UNLV (2017-21) and the University of Central Florida (2021-22), with career averages of 6.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game through 146 appearances (106 starts). Diong played overseas in Hungary, Montenegro, and France from 2022-24. Most recently, the center appeared in 14 games (seven starts) for BC Orchies in the French NM1 league, averaging 6.0 points and 4.9 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game while shooting 53.2% from the floor. Diong will wear number 38 for the Warriors and will be active for the team’s next contest against the Grand Rapids Gold tonight, February 1, at 7 p.m. PT at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, California.

    The Warriors will travel to South Dakota to take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Tuesday, February 4 (4:30 p.m. PT Tip-Off). Santa Cruz will start a 10-game homestand with a back-to-back series against the Austin Spurs on Friday, February 7, and Saturday, February 8. Stay up to date with the latest Santa Cruz Warriors news, scores, and exclusive content by downloading the official Santa Cruz Warriors app for iOS and Android. Fans interested in securing the best seats at the lowest price are encouraged to call (831) 713-4400, email scwtickets@warriors.com, or visitsantacruzbasketball.com for more information.