Just when it mattered most, Mohamed Diarra emerged as a double-double machine and shot-blocking extraordinaire for the 2023-24 NC State basketball team in helping to ignite the Wolfpack's first ACC Tournament title since 1987 and first Final Four run in 41 years. Even so, following his lone campaign in Raleigh after transferring from Missouri, the 23-year-old Paris native went undrafted.
He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for last month's NBA 2K25 Summer League in Las Vegas but played sparingly.
Now, the 6-foot-10, 215-pound Diarra is heading back to his home country for his first season as a pro. He'll suit up in the Betclic Elite League on a two-year contract with Limoges CSP, the French professional basketball club announced on Friday.
Le Cercle Saint-Pierre achève son mercato avec l'arrivée du JFL Mohamed Diarra (23 ans, pivot, 2m07) 💚L'article 👉 https://t.co/pzgHFr3CZe pic.twitter.com/xtpeRsq6Xt
Interestingly, the director of Limoges CSP was also once a post player on Tobacco Road and has Final Four experience. That former ACC center is 1991 Duke basketball national champion Crawford Palmer, a three-year backup to Blue Devil legend Christian Laettner before transferring to Dartmouth for his final season of eligibility.
"To complete our roster," Palmer noted in the press release, "the profile of the player we were looking for with [head coach] Jean-Marc Dupraz was quite easy to target: long, athletic, mobile, and with a motor. A rebounder, capable of covering spaces in defense, protecting the rim, and putting points in the basket on offensive rebounds or to finish pick-and-rolls. With Mohamed Diarra, we think we have found that, and more...
"Having seen him in Las Vegas this summer, I did not think that Mohamed Diarra would be available for us at this time in the market, but we managed to convince him and his representatives.
"Being able to welcome him for his return to France after a rich career in the NCAA was a real opportunity for us."
Diarra's Journey to the Betclic Elite League
Diarra's journey to the professional ranks started in his native France, where he began playing basketball at the age of 15. After stints in the BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque and Orléans training centers, he decided to try his luck in the United States in 2019, but his adventure would be slowed down by Covid. In 2021, he joined Garden City (Junior College), after a good season he was approached by NCAA teams. His choice will fall on the Missouri Tiger. Lacking playing time, he decided to change university, so he joined North Carolina State and will be one of the leaders of the squad with an average of 6.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and more than one block per game for 12.9 evaluation. A 2023-2024 season for Mohamed which will be marked by an exceptional March Madness 2024 with a historic semi-final. Undrafted, Mohamed participated in the Summer League with the Lakers (3 games, for an average of 12 minutes, 5.4 points and 4 rebounds).
In high demand during this off-season, Mohamed Diarra chose Limoges CSP and will share position 5 with French international Alexandre Chassang. He will wear number 93.
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Limoges finished 13th out of 18th last season, with a record of 14-18.
Diarra's Impact on NC State
Diarra transferred to NC State from Missouri last offseason. He was a significant player for NC State all season long last year, averaging 6.3 points and 7.8 rebounds (team high), but his impact in March was tremendous, recording 10+ rebounds in 7 of the Wolfpack’s 10 postseason games, and five of those performances were double-doubles.
Summer League and the Future
Diarra played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 NBA Summer League. Although he didn't get much playing time, it was a valuable experience for him to showcase his skills and adapt to the professional game.
Now, as Diarra heads back to France to play for Limoges CSP, fans will be watching closely to see how he performs. While his time with the Wolfpack was short, he made a lasting impact on the program. Diarra is poised to make a significant impact in the Betclic Elite League, and his journey will be one to follow. The stage is set for Diarra to carve his own path in the world of professional basketball, and the future holds exciting possibilities.
