Mamadi Diakite is an NBA Champion as Bucks take down Suns in Game 6

Mamadi Diakite is a champion once again. The Virginia basketball alum racked up another title, this time in the NBA as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. With the Bucks’ 105-98 victory in Game 6, Diakite became the first player ever to win an NCAA Championship, a G-League Championship, and NBA Championship. If you go back to his time at Blue Ridge, you can add a state title to the list of accomplishments, too.

Diakite was instrumental in helping Virginia win the 2019 NCAA Championship, famously hitting the game-tying shot at the buzzer against Purdue in the Elite Eight. He went undrafted after the coronavirus shortened his final season in Charlottesville, but Milwaukee signed him to a two-way contract. With the Lakeland Magic in the G-Leauge, Diakite helped propel the squad to the playoffs before being called up to the Bucks.

With the Bucks, Mamadi played in 14 games — starting one — as he averaged just over 10 minutes and three points per game. He is also now the first Guinean to win an NBA Championship.

Milwaukee fell into a 2-0 hole to the Suns to open the playoff series, but the Bucks rattled off four straight wins to clinch the title. Giannis Antetokounmpo was phenomenal over the series, capping off his MVP performance with a 50-point game.

Diakite isn’t the only Virginia player that’s going to get a ring as former walk-on Justice Bartley is currently the Player Development and Video Assistant with the team.