The fearless Knicks rookie who helped take it to Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs on national TV

NEW YORK – The New York Knicks traded every first-round pick they could to build their team, putting pressure on Walt Perrin and his scouting department to make the most of any remaining opportunities in the draft. On Sunday, Mohamed Diawara, the 51st overall selection in 2025 and only Knick rookie, scored 14 points in 14:55 of playing time to help take down the San Antonio Spurs on prime-time television.

New York’s scoring efforts were led by Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson, who have both generally played well against the Spurs throughout their Knicks tenures. Karl-Anthony Towns headlined their rebounding success with 14 of his own, making way for New York to grab 54. That was 13 more than San Antonio.

No bench player on either team took more than eight shots or scored more than eight points. Except for Diawara, who launched 14 shot attempts in almost as many minutes of play. 13 of them came from behind the 3-point arc, prompting head coach Mike Brown to praise the rookie’s apparently-unmatched confidence.

“First thing I would say, is, Mo is not afraid. I’ve said this to you guys before, for a young guy, I’ve thrown him out there in games, to start, on national TV,” Brown told media members after the Knicks’ win. “He didn’t bat an eye. He might start three games in a row, then he might not play the fourth game. He doesn’t bat an eye. He is the most confident young man I’ve been around. And he’s got a chance to be- not good, really good.”

Diawara seems to have edge over Jeremy Sochan for playoff spot

Former Spur Jeremy Sochan played just two minutes against his old team. Brown told reporters when he was signed that efforts to integrate and evaluate the 22-year-old could affect Diawara’s playing time. The coach was staying true to his methodical approach, looking to understand his options before the highest-leverage games of the year.

In recent games, including the Knicks’ last three, Diawara has come off of the bench ahead of Sochan and played more of a role. Asked by ClutchPoints about the trend, Brown said players need to prepare for whatever opportunities arise amid the adjustment.

“What you said is correct,” Brown told ClutchPoints. “He and Jeremy are 9th and 10th right now, 10th and 9th. They both just have to keep themselves ready because their number can be called at any time.”

Brown isn’t in any rush to finalize his playoff rotation. He’ll likely explore as many options as possible before the margin for error narrows down. But if Diawara keeps playing with this aggression and poise on both ends of the ball, Brown’s decision might have already been made for him.

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