Against all odds, the Atlanta Hawks have turned their season around after losing Trae Young to an MCL sprain. Young’s absence, however, is not what has driven the team’s success. Instead, losing their offensive engine has forced the Hawks to adopt a temporary philosophical shift towards length and defense. This, paired with a few brief injuries, gave perhaps their best prospect a chance to shine: Mohammed Gueye.
Gueye has averaged 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.7 stocks in the three games where the Senegalese big man played over 20 minutes, but his greatest impact does not show up on the box score. He has become a legitimate All-Defensive caliber player, at times resembling a young Giannis Antetokounmpo or Andrei Kirilenko with his absurd combination of length, agility, and effort.
The most surprising part of Gueye’s breakout year, however, has come on the offensive end. He’s been splashing threes, making perfectly timed cuts, and dazzling fans and analysts with his shockingly deep bag this season. He still has work to do on this end, particularly in the decision-making department, but he has clearly taken a massive leap.
Gueye could be in Most Improved Player talks with increased playing time
Coming into the season, Gueye was not meant to be in the rotation. Despite starting 28 games last season, the Washington State product only played in 33 NBA games and averaged just 16 minutes a night. His NBA role was only possible after the Hawks were destroyed by injuries in the back half of the season, and even then he was just a developmental piece earning meaningless minutes. This theory appeared to be confirmed in the Hawks’ opening night loss to Toronto, where Gueye played just five minutes of garbage time.
But after Atlanta briefly lost Kristaps Porzingis, Jalen Johnson, and Zaccharie Risacher to minor injuries, Gueye had his chance. There was just no denying his impact once he hit the floor. While a small sample size limits the effectiveness of this data, the advanced stats paint a clear picture as to who the Hawks' most impactful big man is. The team is more efficient on both ends of the ball; they rebound better; and they do better in transition with Gueye.
Regardless of how you choose to interpret the game of basketball – box score, eye test, and/or advanced stats – one thing is clear: Mo Gueye is one of the most underrated developmental success stories and demands more minutes. Quin Snyder has shown a strange hesitance to move Gueye up the depth chart. But after dominating the Lakers last week, Gueye should see a major increase in playing time soon.