Career: JSA Bordeaux (France-Youth Teams, 1995-98), INSEP (France-3rd Div. 1998-2000), Pau-Orthez (France-Pro A, 2000-03), Atlanta Hawks (USA-NBA, 2003-05), Phoenix Suns (USA-NBA, 2005-06).

Diaw's evolution with the French team has always been a step ahead of his progression with his club team. It proved right again in 2005, when the young forward who had struggled with the Atlanta Hawks had a memorable tournament at the EuroBasket. Diaw was selected in the All-EuroBasket 2005 First Team and would have been the MVP had France beaten Greece in the semis. Following his trade from Atlanta to Phoenix, Diaw materialized this newfound assertiveness and was named the Most Improved Player in the NBA in 2005-06. In the playoffs, he even took it to another level, averaging 24.2 points on 52.2 percent shooting during the Western Conference Finals against Dallas.

The ultimate versatile and team player, Boris can play every single position on the court, even though he played mostly as an inside man this season with Phoenix with the injury in Amaré Stoudemire. In the summer of 2005, before the EuroBasket, Mike D'Antoni, the Suns' head coach, said Diaw should soon be able to score 30 points in a NBA game and would become an All-Star. In Atlanta and elsewhere, a lot of people laughed. Who's laughing now?