Khalifa Diop
Diop with Gran Canaria in 2022
No. 18 – Saski Baskonia
PositionCenter
LeagueLiga ACB
EuroLeague
Personal information
Born (2002-01-15) 15 January 2002
Guereo, Senegal
Listed height2.11 m (6 ft 11 in)
Listed weight105 kg (231 lb)
Career information
NBA draft2022: 2nd round, 39th overall pick
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Playing career2017–present
Career history
2017–2023Gran Canaria
2017–2021→ Gran Canaria B
2023–presentBaskonia
Career highlights and awards
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Senegal
FIBA U18 African Championship
Silver medal – second place2020 EgyptTeam

Khalifa Ababacar Diop (born 15 January 2002) is a Senegalese professional basketball player for Baskonia of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. He also plays for the Senegalese national team. Diop was drafted 39th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2022 NBA draft.

Early career

Diop trained with the junior teams of CB Gran Canaria and CB TerrAlfas.[1] In 2018, he was named the MVP of the national junior club championship. He debuted with Gran Canaria B in the Liga EBA, the Spanish fourth level league, at age 15. On 3 November 2019, Diop recorded 25 points and a league record 28 rebounds in a Liga EBA game against Novum Energy Lyceum.[1]

Professional career

Gran Canaria (2017–2023)

On 28 March 2019, Diop made his senior debut for Gran Canaria, recording three points and four rebounds in a 90–55 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the EuroLeague.[2] On 24 November 2019, he made his Liga ACB debut, playing three minutes in a loss to Real Madrid.[3] Diop was named EuroCup Rising Star and made the ACB All-Young Players Team for the 2021–22 season.[4][5]

After declaring for the 2022 NBA draft, Diop was drafted 39th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cavaliers GM Koby Altman announced a few days later that Diop would not join the Cavaliers roster in the 2022-23 NBA season, and would stay in the Spanish League.[6] Diop later signed a contract extension with Gran Canaria.[7]

Baskonia (2023–present)

On July 14, 2023, Diop signed a multi-year contract with EuroLeague mainstays Baskonia.

National team career

Diop represented Senegal at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion. He averaged 13.1 points, seven rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.[8] Diop helped Senegal win the silver medal at the 2020 FIBA U18 African Championship in Egypt, where he averaged 12.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.4 steals per game.[9] At the 2021 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Latvia, he averaged 14 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.[10]

In February 2022, Diop was selected for the Senegal senior national team for the qualifiers of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Khalifa Diop, el gigante de 17 años llega al MVP". FEB (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. ↑ "Diop, Khalifa". EuroLeague. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "Nov 24, 2019 - Herbalife Gran Canaria 76 at Real Madrid 92". RealGM. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "Khalifa Diop wins EuroCup Rising Star Trophy". Eurohoops. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  5. ↑ Rodriguez, David (29 April 2022). "Khalifa Diop, en el mejor quinteto joven de la ACB". La Provincia (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  6. ↑ "Cavaliers to stash draftee Khalifa Diop in Spain for 2022-23 season". The Rookie Wire. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  7. ↑ "Cavs pick Khalifa Diop extends contract with Gran Canaria until 2025". Eurohoops. 9 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Khalifa Ababacar Diop (SEN)'s profile – FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2019". FIBA. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "Khalifa Ababacar Diop (SEN)'s profile – FIBA U18 African Championship 2020". FIBA. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Khalifa Ababacar Diop (SEN)'s profile – FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2021". FIBA. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  11. ↑ "Senegal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
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