Ilimane Diop

Ilimane Diop
	Diop for Baskonia in 2017
Al Riyadi
Position	Center
League	Lebanese Basketball League
Personal information
Born	4 April 1995 (age 29); Dakar, Senegal
Nationality	Senegalese / Spanish
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	2017: undrafted
Playing career	2011–present
Career history
2011–2021	Baskonia
2011–2012	→Álava
2012–2013	→Araberri
2021–2022	Gran Canaria
2022–2023	UCAM Murcia
2023	Unicaja
2023–2024	Filou Oostende
2024–2025	Lenovo Tenerife
2025–present	Al Riyadi
Career highlights and awards
	ACB champion (2020);
Men's basketball
Representing Spain
FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship
FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship

Ilimane Diop Gaye (born 4 April 1995) is a professional basketball player for Al Riyadi of the Lebanese Basketball League. Although he was born in Senegal, Diop officially represents Spain when being on international duty since he was a baby when his family settled in Spain.^[1] Previously, he has led their junior teams to multiple bronze medals.^[2]

Professional career

A product of Spanish powerhouse Saski Baskonia, Diop was sent out on loan to minor league team to gain playing time and experience. He made his debut for Baskonia in the Spanish top-flight Liga ACB in the course of the 2013-14 campaign.

An early entry candidate for the 2016 NBA draft, he later withdrew his name.^[3]

On 10 July 2021, he signed with Gran Canaria of the Spanish Liga ACB.^[4]

On 5 July 2022, Gran Canaria released Diop.^[5]

On 13 July 2022, he signed with UCAM Murcia in the Liga ACB.^[6]

On 20 August 2023, he signed with Unicaja of the Spanish Liga ACB.^[7]

On 4 October 2023, he signed with Filou Oostende of the BNXT League.^[8]

On 11 January 2024, he signed with Lenovo Tenerife of the Spanish Liga ACB.^[9]

On 18 January 2025, Diop signed with Al Riyadi of the Lebanese Basketball League.^[10]

International career

After achieving a bronze medal with the under-16 team and the under-18 team, on 11 July 2016, Diop made his debut with the national team in a friendly game played in Burgos against Angola. He scored four points and grabbed three rebounds to collaborate in the win by 85–61.^[11]

Player profile

Standing 6'11" with a wingspan of 7'11" feet, Diop is regarded as one of the most potent players in the Liga ACB and possibly a future NBA draft selection. Length has been an inevitable problem for his opponents, who have struggled against the pick-and-roll and rebounds.^[12] He is also noted for his raw talent that could grow into a "great basketball body." Balance, footwork, and strength have remained intangibles for the center.^[13]

Personal life

His brother Mamadou is also a basketball player who previously played in the same Spanish basketball squad as he did.

References

^ "Ilimane Diop Player Profile". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
^ "Ilimane Diop Player Profile". RealGM.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
^ Release, Official. "Thirty-three international early-entry candidates withdraw from Draft". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
^ "Herbalife Gran Canaria ink Ilimane Diop". Sportando. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ "Pustovyi, Ennis, Diop y López finalizan su etapa en el Gran Canaria". Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria (in Spanish). 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
^ "Ilimane Diop, músculo para el UCAM Murcia CB". ucamdeportes.com (in Spanish). 13 July 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
^ "Ilimane Diop joins Unicaja Malaga". Sportando. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
^ "Ilimane Diop joins Filou Oostende in the Basketball Champions League". Eurohoops. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^ "Ilimane Diop moves from Oostende to Tenerife". Eurohoops. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^ "Al Riyadi signs Ilimane Diop, ex Tenerife". Eurobasket.com. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
^ "Ilimane Diop debuta con la selección española senior" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
^ Hein, David. "Spain youngster Diop taking step in Euroleague". FIBA.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
^ Mills, Danny. "Eurohopes Basketball Prospect Ilimane Diop". EuroHopes.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.

External links

Ilimane Diop at acb.com (in Spanish)
Ilimane Diop at eurobasket.com
Ilimane Diop at euroleague.net
Ilimane Diop at FIBA
Ilimane Diop on Twitter

[1] "Ilimane Diop Player Profile". Eurobasket.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.

[2] "Ilimane Diop Player Profile". RealGM.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.

[3] Release, Official. "Thirty-three international early-entry candidates withdraw from Draft". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2016.

[4] "Herbalife Gran Canaria ink Ilimane Diop". Sportando. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

[5] "Pustovyi, Ennis, Diop y López finalizan su etapa en el Gran Canaria". Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria (in Spanish). 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

[6] "Ilimane Diop, músculo para el UCAM Murcia CB". ucamdeportes.com (in Spanish). 13 July 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.

[7] "Ilimane Diop joins Unicaja Malaga". Sportando. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.

[8] "Ilimane Diop joins Filou Oostende in the Basketball Champions League". Eurohoops. 4 October 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2024.

[9] "Ilimane Diop moves from Oostende to Tenerife". Eurohoops. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.

[10] "Al Riyadi signs Ilimane Diop, ex Tenerife". Eurobasket.com. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.

[11] "Ilimane Diop debuta con la selección española senior" (in Spanish). ACB.com. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.

[12] Hein, David. "Spain youngster Diop taking step in Euroleague". FIBA.com. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 29 June 2014.

[13] Mills, Danny. "Eurohopes Basketball Prospect Ilimane Diop". EuroHopes.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.

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