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Late Monday, the Atlanta Hawks announced that they have signed second-round pick Mouhamed Gueye.
ATLANTA – The Atlanta Hawks have signed rookie forward Mouhamed Gueye, the team announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Atlanta acquired the draft rights to Gueye via trade with the Boston Celtics on June 28, 2023. The trade was agreed to in principle on June 22.
Gueye (pronounced mo-HAH-med Gay) saw action in 68 games (66 starts) during his two-year career at Washington State, registering 10.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 26.9 minutes (.489 FG%, .613 FT%). He became just the ninth Cougar to be drafted inside the top 40 and Washington State’s highest NBA Draft pick since Klay Thompson in 2011 (No. 11 overall by Golden State).
The 6-11 forward appeared in 33 games (all starts) during the 2022-23 season, notching 14.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 32.1 minutes, en route to an All-Pac-12 First Team selection (.488 FG%, .674 FT%). Gueye’s 8.4 rebounds per game were the fourth-most in the Pac-12, while his 14.3 points were the ninth-best in the conference. He tallied 15 double-doubles during the 2022-23 campaign, the most in the Pac-12 and the sixth-most in a single season in Washington State history.
Named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team in 2021-22, Gueye started in 33 of Washington State’s 35 games played in the 2021-22 season, tying Klay Thompson’s program record for most starts by a true freshman. The Dakar, Senegal native recorded 33 blocks during his freshman campaign (fourth-most in program history by a freshman), 181 steals (fifth-most by a freshman), and 29 steals (10th-most by a freshman).
According to follow up reports, Gueye earned himself a four-year deal worth around $7.64 million.
The Atlanta Hawks and 39th pick Mouhamed Gueye agreed to a 4-year, $7.64 million deal, agent Aman Dhesi of PNW Sports Group told @hoopshype. The former Washington State star led the Pac-12 in double-doubles. He only started basketball 3.5 years ago and grew up as a soccer player.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 4, 2023
This deal will make use of the second-round pick exception, which allows teams over the salary cap to sign second-rounders to deals of up to approximately $8.7 million in 2023-24 without using a different exception such as the midlevel exception. The final year is by rule a team option, although additional years could also be team options or unguaranteed. This is a shrewd maneuver by the Hawks to lock down a developmental prospect for at least four years of team control.
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