(@JMcDonald_SAEN) When Gorgui Dieng’s playing career ended this fall, he asked the Spurs if he could stay on as an unpaid intern. The Spurs agreed, on the condition he let them pay him.
(@JMcDonald_SAEN) When Gorgui Dieng’s playing career ended this fall, he asked the Spurs if he could stay on as an unpaid intern. The Spurs agreed, on the condition he let them pay him.
“It was getting late on another Spurs practice day, and Gorgui Dieng had the itch.
Six months after he had played his final game in silver and black, the former Spur wanted to know if he still had it.
So Dieng picked up a stray ball and fired three nonchalant 3-pointers from the corner.
“You know I can get buckets still,” Dieng said with a laugh.
These days, and for the first time in his basketball life, Dieng is content to leave all the bucket-getting to younger men.
The 33-year-old former NBA journeyman turned unexpected Spur for life is being paid by the club for other reasons.
His playing career over, Dieng is enjoying his new life as a “basketball operations representative,” a job and title the Spurs created just for him.
“Everyone around me knew I wanted to play 10 years and that was it,” Dieng said. “I always said that. When I reached 10, I said I’ve reached my goal. It was time to stop and try different stuff.”
On most days, Dieng splits his time between the coaching staff and the front office. He spends part of his days in conference rooms with general manager Brian Wright and his group.
When it is time for practice, Dieng dons a T-shirt and gym shorts and helps any way he can on the floor as players go through their paces.
Come game time, Dieng can be found in the executive box at the Frost Bank Center alongside Wright and other front office staff members.
“I’m learning a lot of stuff,” Dieng said. “You start to understand more what the NBA is all about as a business. When you play, you just do the things on the court. But seeing the preparation behind it, it helped me see why the organization has been so good for so long.”
Dieng did not fully envision this path when he signed with the Spurs for the first time in March of 2021 after reaching a contract buyout agreement with Memphis.
He had no way of knowing then that San Antonio might one day become home. In fact, he would have been surprised.
“The first time I came here I didn’t like it that much,” Dieng said.
Dieng appeared in 16 games as a backup center at the end of the 2020-21 season, then signed a one-year deal with Atlanta the following year.
The Spurs were not finished with him, however.
Dieng signed with the Spurs again in August of 2022, was waived in January and then signed three more 10-day contracts to finish the season in San Antonio.
There is a reason the Spurs could not quit him, and it is the same reason Dieng remains beloved by those who played with him in Minnesota, Memphis and Atlanta.
“He’s a wonderful human being,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s one of the all-time favorite teammates of everybody. He’s a great source of experience in the league, and anybody can talk to him.”
Despite his stated goal of playing 10 years in the NBA, Dieng — who averaged 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds over that decade — was not completely averse to trying for an 11th.
He keeps a house in San Antonio, and hung around the Spurs’ new practice facility throughout the summer while waiting to see if another team might make him an offer.
When none came, Dieng approached Wright about joining the staff as an unpaid intern.
Wright agreed, but on one condition: The Spurs were going to pay him. And thus, the title of “basketball operations representative” was born.
“I’m very free on what I’m doing,” Dieng said. “I’m in the front office learning and doing stuff. When they start practice, I come here and help the team. I’m here just to be around them and help.”
Personality-wise, the upbeat and gregarious Dieng is the kind of voice a team likes to have around in the throes of a 3-18 start.
“He’s someone you can always talk to at any time,” guard Tre Jones said. “He is always open. I think just having that personal connection to everybody and having such good relationships with people, that’s what makes him who he is.”
On a recent morning, Dieng was one of the six staff members monitoring a post-practice workout of rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama.
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson ran the session. Dieng looked on offering advice, encouragement and plenty of hand claps.
It certainly helps Dieng’s case to stick around that he has the attention of the most important ear on the team.
“I think he’s really embraced his new role,” Wembanyama said. “He talks to us, of course, about basketball. He has that experience. Outside of the court, sometimes he tells about the details of whatever rules or contracts or something. He’s really dedicated.”
Dieng’s hands-on experience is not limited to working only with the franchise’s crown jewel.
Backup center Charles Bassey grew close with Dieng last season, in part because of their shared African heritage. Dieng is from Sengal, while Bassey hails from Nigeria.
Dieng has been a consistent sounding board for Bassey since.
“I always know he’s watching,” Bassey said. “He tells me just to keep going, regardless of how many minutes you play. Just play as hard as you can, and you never know.”
As much as Dieng has enjoyed his work on the practice court, the front office work has intrigued him even more.
It is a whole new world of contract numbers and collective bargaining minutiae, one Dieng has been eager to explore.
“The front office, it takes talent,” Dieng said. “It takes hard work. Us, we just play and go home. They put everything together.”
Dieng says he could one day imagine himself as the chief decision-maker on some NBA team somewhere. For now, he is satisfied to start at the bottom, chipping in however he can.
Maybe Dieng isn’t getting NBA buckets anymore. It turns out he still has plenty to offer those who do.
“I like San Antonio and I like being here,” Dieng said. “I’m not doing it for money or anything. I just want to learn. I did my time in the NBA. I’m just doing it because I like being around the guys and I like learning.”
Bonesawisready5
Some great positivity, thanks for posting
AskFrosty908
Had no idea that he made $75m for his career 🤯
iamadacheat
oh this is the guy my friend named his Corgi after. Corgi Dieng
guillaume_rx
Thank you for this.
I heard about that from the question in that interview from Victor the other day, but after extensive research, I couldn’t find any article about his new role!
Dsarg_92
This was such a great read! I’m so happy for Gorgui. The fact that he chose to stay involved with us of all teams is a beautiful sight. Always been a solid teammate and even a solid person at that. Nothing but mad respect for him.
I’m glad to have him on the team. He’s gonna be a wonderful mentor for the young players.
7 Comments
Okay I’m gonna cry
“It was getting late on another Spurs practice day, and Gorgui Dieng had the itch.
Six months after he had played his final game in silver and black, the former Spur wanted to know if he still had it.
So Dieng picked up a stray ball and fired three nonchalant 3-pointers from the corner.
“You know I can get buckets still,” Dieng said with a laugh.
These days, and for the first time in his basketball life, Dieng is content to leave all the bucket-getting to younger men.
The 33-year-old former NBA journeyman turned unexpected Spur for life is being paid by the club for other reasons.
His playing career over, Dieng is enjoying his new life as a “basketball operations representative,” a job and title the Spurs created just for him.
“Everyone around me knew I wanted to play 10 years and that was it,” Dieng said. “I always said that. When I reached 10, I said I’ve reached my goal. It was time to stop and try different stuff.”
On most days, Dieng splits his time between the coaching staff and the front office. He spends part of his days in conference rooms with general manager Brian Wright and his group.
When it is time for practice, Dieng dons a T-shirt and gym shorts and helps any way he can on the floor as players go through their paces.
Come game time, Dieng can be found in the executive box at the Frost Bank Center alongside Wright and other front office staff members.
“I’m learning a lot of stuff,” Dieng said. “You start to understand more what the NBA is all about as a business. When you play, you just do the things on the court. But seeing the preparation behind it, it helped me see why the organization has been so good for so long.”
Dieng did not fully envision this path when he signed with the Spurs for the first time in March of 2021 after reaching a contract buyout agreement with Memphis.
He had no way of knowing then that San Antonio might one day become home. In fact, he would have been surprised.
“The first time I came here I didn’t like it that much,” Dieng said.
Dieng appeared in 16 games as a backup center at the end of the 2020-21 season, then signed a one-year deal with Atlanta the following year.
The Spurs were not finished with him, however.
Dieng signed with the Spurs again in August of 2022, was waived in January and then signed three more 10-day contracts to finish the season in San Antonio.
There is a reason the Spurs could not quit him, and it is the same reason Dieng remains beloved by those who played with him in Minnesota, Memphis and Atlanta.
“He’s a wonderful human being,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s one of the all-time favorite teammates of everybody. He’s a great source of experience in the league, and anybody can talk to him.”
Despite his stated goal of playing 10 years in the NBA, Dieng — who averaged 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds over that decade — was not completely averse to trying for an 11th.
He keeps a house in San Antonio, and hung around the Spurs’ new practice facility throughout the summer while waiting to see if another team might make him an offer.
When none came, Dieng approached Wright about joining the staff as an unpaid intern.
Wright agreed, but on one condition: The Spurs were going to pay him. And thus, the title of “basketball operations representative” was born.
“I’m very free on what I’m doing,” Dieng said. “I’m in the front office learning and doing stuff. When they start practice, I come here and help the team. I’m here just to be around them and help.”
Personality-wise, the upbeat and gregarious Dieng is the kind of voice a team likes to have around in the throes of a 3-18 start.
“He’s someone you can always talk to at any time,” guard Tre Jones said. “He is always open. I think just having that personal connection to everybody and having such good relationships with people, that’s what makes him who he is.”
On a recent morning, Dieng was one of the six staff members monitoring a post-practice workout of rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama.
Assistant coach Mitch Johnson ran the session. Dieng looked on offering advice, encouragement and plenty of hand claps.
It certainly helps Dieng’s case to stick around that he has the attention of the most important ear on the team.
“I think he’s really embraced his new role,” Wembanyama said. “He talks to us, of course, about basketball. He has that experience. Outside of the court, sometimes he tells about the details of whatever rules or contracts or something. He’s really dedicated.”
Dieng’s hands-on experience is not limited to working only with the franchise’s crown jewel.
Backup center Charles Bassey grew close with Dieng last season, in part because of their shared African heritage. Dieng is from Sengal, while Bassey hails from Nigeria.
Dieng has been a consistent sounding board for Bassey since.
“I always know he’s watching,” Bassey said. “He tells me just to keep going, regardless of how many minutes you play. Just play as hard as you can, and you never know.”
As much as Dieng has enjoyed his work on the practice court, the front office work has intrigued him even more.
It is a whole new world of contract numbers and collective bargaining minutiae, one Dieng has been eager to explore.
“The front office, it takes talent,” Dieng said. “It takes hard work. Us, we just play and go home. They put everything together.”
Dieng says he could one day imagine himself as the chief decision-maker on some NBA team somewhere. For now, he is satisfied to start at the bottom, chipping in however he can.
Maybe Dieng isn’t getting NBA buckets anymore. It turns out he still has plenty to offer those who do.
“I like San Antonio and I like being here,” Dieng said. “I’m not doing it for money or anything. I just want to learn. I did my time in the NBA. I’m just doing it because I like being around the guys and I like learning.”
Some great positivity, thanks for posting
Had no idea that he made $75m for his career 🤯
oh this is the guy my friend named his Corgi after. Corgi Dieng
Thank you for this.
I heard about that from the question in that interview from Victor the other day, but after extensive research, I couldn’t find any article about his new role!
This was such a great read! I’m so happy for Gorgui. The fact that he chose to stay involved with us of all teams is a beautiful sight. Always been a solid teammate and even a solid person at that. Nothing but mad respect for him.
I’m glad to have him on the team. He’s gonna be a wonderful mentor for the young players.