Charlotte (NBA/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - It was just another NBA game night on March 14 as rookie Gorgui Dieng took his familiar seat on the bench for the start of a Minnesota Timberwolves road game against the Charlotte Bobcats. A year removed from a national championship run during his junior year at the University of Louisville, the 1.86m center from Kebemer, Senegal understood his place behind starter Nikola Pekovic.

"This game is all about patience," Dieng told FIBA.com as he dressed after the game. "I've got great players ahead of me and it's hard to find playing time but I’m learning under them and maybe my time will come."

Pekovic would injure his ankle and play only 17 minutes. Yet, with Ronny Turiaf in street clothes, Dieng would play only 12 minutes that night, scoring 2 points, grabbing 2 rebounds as forward Kevin Love took over near the basket. Still, that was more than the total of 10 minutes he saw in the previous three games combined.

With Pekovic out, Dieng's time did indeed come. He would start the next six games, averaging about 34 minutes and a double-double of 12.7 points and 14 rebounds, highlighted by a 22 point, 21 rebound night against one of the league's best teams, the Houston Rockets. He had 5 blocks in his first start against Sacramento.

The most minutes he had played up to that point was 22 against Utah on February 22. Pekovic returned to the starting lineup against the Lakers on March 28 and would stay there for the next two games but Dieng had proven his worth and his minutes stayed high at 20 per game as did his production. With Pekovic out again, Dieng started against Memphis in a 102-88 win over the Grizzlies on April 2.

The extended run has moved Dieng's future to the present and one thing is for sure. Coach Rick Adelman is comfortable now with his 24 year old rookie seeing significant minutes on the court.

Dieng, who was named the NBA's Western Conference Rookie of the Month for March, is now hoping that Senegal's national team coach feels the same.

"I'm really excited about that. I spoke to the coach (Cheikh Sarr) today," Dieng said in Charlotte. "He's here in the States looking at the college kids and stuff." One of these players may have been Adama "Louis" Adams, a South Carolina State senior point guard from Senegal's AfroBasket team last summer.

Dieng, who was prepping for his first NBA season, was not on that side but he definitely wants to wear the green of Senegal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup this summer in Spain.

"I'm very excited to go back and play for my national team, to play for my country."

Hamady Ndiaye and Saer Sene manned the center position at last summer's Afrobasket. Both are dealing with injuries. Ndiaye split this season between the Sacramento Kings and the D-League, mostly the latter until he was deactivated on March 10. Sene is playing in France with Sharks Antibes. Even though Dieng hasn't played for Senegal since the qualifying campaign for the 2011 AfroBasket, Sarr must be excited as well with recent developments.

Dieng said he was getting better every day and that his game is getting more mature. He credits his teammates and his former college coach Rick Pitino for his growth.

"I'm learning from all the bigs," he said, referring to Pekovic, Love, and Turiaf.

"They're all good guys and they've been telling me the right things to do so I've been listening and learning a lot from them."

On the three years he spent at Louisville, "Having a coach like Pitino, he's going to prepare you mentally and physically. He helped a lot to make my transition to the NBA."

The pace of the game has been the biggest adjustment.

"It's a fast game and you've got to make decisions very quick. If you're going to pass, you can't think twice. Everybody is fast and athletic so you have to be 100% at whatever you do."

It's clear that representing Senegal is his next priority.

"I'm looking forward to going back and fight for my country."

"Whatever it takes. If they need me to score, I can score. If they need me to protect the rim, I can do. It's not me to decide what I want to do. It's how the coach wants to use me. I will do whatever the coach wants (me to do).

"He's awesome," teammate J.J. Barea said after Dieng's Rookie of the Month honor.

"I'm so proud of him. He's working all year, and when the time came he took advantage. He's just aggressive. He's aggressive to the ball, and he's active. He's a smart kid."

Just what an aspiring team like Senegal needs.

FIBA