South Bay Lakers Acquire Returning Player Rights to Center Cheikh Mbacke Diong and a 2025 First Round Draft Pick

The South Bay Lakers have acquired the returning player rights to center Cheikh Mbacke Diong and a 2025 first round draft pick from the Santa Cruz Warriors in exchange for their 2025 and 2026 second round draft picks. 

Diong (6’11”, 235) appeared in 19 total games with Santa Cruz and Westchester last season, averaging 2.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 13.0 minutes. Internationally, the 25-year-old has played professionally in Kenya (2024-25), France (2023-24), Montenegro (2022-23) and Hungary (2022-23). A native of Senegal, Diong played five collegiate seasons at the University of Central Florida (2021-22) and UNLV (2017-2021) and earned MWC All-Defensive First Team honors following the 2020-21 season.