Mouhamed Gueye has embraced the challenge of bouncing between the NBA and the G League, traveling across multiple cities while making the most of his opportunities with the Atlanta Hawks.
Last week, the 22-year-old played in four different cities over six days, splitting time between the College Park Skyhawks and the Hawks. Despite the constant movement, Gueye remains focused on his love for the game.
“I mean, it’s been great. This is just hoop,” Gueye told Spencer Davies of RG during an interview in Cleveland. “I love basketball, so it’s been just hooping. I can’t complain if I’m playing basketball.”
His whirlwind week started in Birmingham, where he posted 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and a steal for College Park. The next morning, he was recalled to the Hawks for the ninth time this season and flew to Minneapolis for his first NBA action since November.
After playing against the Timberwolves, he returned to Atlanta and earned his first career NBA start against the Houston Rockets. Gueye called the milestone a childhood dream but emphasized that his focus remains on helping his team win.
“It feels great,” Gueye said. “It’s a dream when you’re a kid to start in an NBA game. But most importantly, just [doing] whatever the team needs you to do to help them win.”
His performance led to another opportunity, and he delivered a career night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Gueye posted career-highs of 15 points and 12 rebounds in Atlanta’s win over Milwaukee. His growing confidence and versatility are making him a valuable piece for the Hawks.
The 6-foot-10 forward has been working on becoming a defensive disruptor beyond his ability to stretch the floor. He believes his biggest improvement has been his activity on defense, using his length to impact opposing offenses.
“Probably what I think I’ve improved the most is just being active with my hands, being a disruptor, more than just making threes,” Gueye said. “Just being able to affect the game with my defense, trying to mess the other teams’ offense up.”
Gueye has appeared in five games for Atlanta this season, averaging 5 points and 3 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per contest. In the G League, he has put up 11.9 points and 9 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game.
