Ousmane Dieng will declare for the 2022 NBA Draft.

Dieng is a projected lottery pick and ranked No. 12 by ESPN.

Dieng is the first European star to play in the NBL's Next Stars program.

"Playing in a tough league with really good players was really good for me," Dieng told ESPN. "I learned a lot. The transition was significant, going up against much better players than I saw in France. The game is faster. Everyone is more physical.

"... I had to work on my body and I was lucky to have a great strength and conditioning coach. I improved my defense a lot this past year. The coaches had a big role in my improvement. I trusted them when I was struggling. I kept working and improved my game."