2023 NBA Draft Profile: Sidy Cissoko

2023 NBA Draft Profile: Sidy Cissoko

NBA Position: Forward/Wing

General Info: 19 years old, played for the G League Ignite. Also previously played in the Spanish Basketball League. From Saint-Maurice, France.

Measurables: 6’7, 223 lbs, 6’9.75 wingspan.

2022-23 Season Statistics: 11.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 1.9 TPG (43 games played across the G League Showcase and regular season, 29 minutes per contest), 43.5% FG, 31.4% 3P, 64.6% FT

All hyperlinks in this profile are video clips showcasing the skills discussed. Stats are from Synergy Sports or Basketball Reference.

If you turn on a G League Ignite game from this past season, it won’t take long for Sidy Cissoko to make it clear why he’s an intriguing prospect for the 2023 NBA Draft. When watching players who aren’t primary creators or high-usage scorers, some take a while to show their game. But even while playing for the Ignite program featuring Scoot Henderson and Leonard Miller, Cissoko jumps off the tape with his intensity, physicality, and two-way ambition. He is a wrecking ball on both ends of the court, and he did his damndest to dictate physicality while competing in a league of grown men fighting for their NBA dreams. Sidy has some big question marks at the next level—specifically his jumpshot—but his defensive intensity, physical tools, passing vision, and competitive drive make him one of my favorite sleepers in this draft class.

Sidy’s defensive instincts and potential versatility are more than just hypewords. At 6’7 and 223 lbs, his intersection of strength and speed let him guard a range of opponents for Ignite. He puts his chest into drivers, can swallow up players at the basket, and has the quickness and length to stick with guards. He’s undersized for a rim-protection role, but isn’t afraid to help on the weakside or flash over if his teammate gets beat. His quick instincts on defense are impressive for his age. And when he comes up with a turnover (1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per 40 minutes), he can push the pace immediately. Few rookies will be great defenders immediately into their NBA careers, but Cissoko has all the tools I look for in a potential switchable defender.

The big question for Cissoko is his jumpshot. His numbers are concerning, but his development gives some reason for optimism; he shot 24.8% from deep in his final year in the LEB Oro Spanish League and improved to 31.4% this year for the Ignite. He showed some promise as a catch-and-shoot bomber playing off of the Ignite’s lead scorers, which could give him a clear 3-and-D role at the next level if his shot continues to improve. But his misses can be really ugly, and he’s a streaky shooter; he shot 31% from 3 in January, 48.3% in February, and just 11.5% in March. He finished the year at just 33.3% on all catch-and-shoot shots, and was an abysmal 23.3% on off-the-dribble shots, per Synergy. Until he proves otherwise, he should be considered a questionable shooter – and the Sacramento Kings understandably may not want to make that gamble and sacrifice spacing next to De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis.

Cissoko also needs to prove his ability to attack the basket in the half-court. He can be an absolute force in transition, and has the on-ball skills to go end-to-end in a hurry. He does have a developing dribble-drive game that can take defenses by surprise (peep the defender on this play), and he also has the strength to try and bull through defenders.But his lack of a quick first step and explosiveness led to him being easily contained when he didn’t have a runway to get up to his top speed. That said, Ignite offense lacked any semblance of floor spacing, as only veterans John Jenkins and former-King Pooh Jeter were consistent shooters; NBA spacing should help Cissoko see more clear lanes, but that is true for every prospect. In the end, Sidy shows flashes of craft around the rim, but doesn’t have the consistency in the half-court to make me bet he ever threatens as a true on-ball scorer.

Cissoko was 4th on the Ignite for total shot attempts, behind Henderson (who absolutely should be the damn #2 pick), Miller (a lottery pick in my book), and Jenkins. This meant that Cissoko was, at best, the 3rd or 4th option on most plays. But that limited role in the offense—just a 18.9% usage rate—makes his assist numbers of 3.6 per contest and a 16.9% assist rate pop off the statsheet. Sidy played point guard in the Spanish leagues before an apparent growth spurt, and he has passing flare beyond many young wings. His process isn’t always the smoothest, but he can throw some highlight results. His future coaches may want/need to reign in that ambition, but I will always love to see young players, especially non-guards, who have Cissoko’s quick passing instincts.

While his jumpshot is the end-all question for Sidy, it may not be the same level of issue as it will be for some other debatable shooters in the class (Rayan Rupert, Julian Phillips, perhaps Jordan Walsh) thanks to this playmaking. Teams may try and put their worst defenders on him, but at his size he can punish mismatches, and with his playmaking he can keep the offense moving. Plays don’t have to die with Sidy like they may with some non-shooters. But teams will have to decide if they are comfortable enough with his defensive upside to gamble on him figuring out how to be a role player in a half-court offense.

Cissoko’s aggressiveness is a double-edged sword on both ends of the court, and I expect that he’s going to struggle with fouls early and often into his NBA career. He averaged 3.4 fouls per game (5.6 per 48 minutes) this season, and can overplay his hand defensively. His physicality CAN go too far. His future coaches will have to work with Sidy on his two-way discipline if he wants to be on the floor for important minutes.

Another concern I have is that his rebounding numbers (2.9 per game, and 3.9 per 40 minutes) aren’t spectacular given his size and playing time. His roles on both sides of the court (as well as playing alongside Leonard Miller and Eric Mika, two of the G League’s better rebounders) could explain those low numbers. But anyone drafted at 24 has to be ready to be part of the full-team rebounding effort for Sacramento. Luckily, effort is something Cissoko has in spades.

If you’re looking to do a deeper dive into Cissoko’s game, go check out this matchup between the G League Ignite and the Memphis Hustle. It’s an outlier game for Sidy’s shooting ability (he went 5 of 9 from deep), but he finished the contest with 23 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 fouls. He also matched up at times with all the NBA players on Memphis’ G League roster—Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, and Kenny Lofton Jr. While Lofton got the better of him on a few big plays down the stretch, Sidy’s consistent physicality against the 6’8, 275 lbs Lofton was impressive.

Sidy is somewhat the inverse of the Kings’ last rookie, Keegan Murray. Murray’s composure rarely falters and he lets his balanced, shoot-first game do the talking. Cissoko roars loudly and barrels down the basketball court like a bull in a China shop. While Sidy is more of a project player than some in his draft range and may not earn meaningful NBA minutes early in his career, his two-way flashes have made him my favorite upside swing in this draft class. Note that my fellow Kings Herald writers are almost assuredly rolling their eyes—what, Bryant likes a 3-and-D role player whose 3-pointer and fit in the half-court offense is questionable? That’s never ever ever ever ever happened before.

It’s true that Cissoko’s major question marks should be concerning for Sacramento; he’s a streaky shooter, he racks up fouls, and he’s got to prove himself as a scorer in the half-court. But at the same time, everything that makes Cissoko a promising prospect are traits that the Kings need more of; physicality, athleticism, ability to play up and down defensive lineups, playmaking ability, and sheer confidence. If the Kings are willing to toss the dice, Sidy is one of my favorite prospects for Sacramento.