The San Antonio Spurs have beefed up their roster with a new addition, signing 6-foot-9 forward Mamadi Diakite to a two-way deal, the team announced. Diakite, a 26-year-old Guinea native, who previously made waves with the Milwaukee Bucks during their 2021 NBA Championship run, will be bringing his talents to Texas as the Spurs aim to fortify their frontcourt.

With the Spurs currently navigating through some roster turbulence due to injuries - including a sidelined Zach Collins with an ankle injury expected to take him out for two to four weeks - the new recruit could offer some much-needed stability. Diakite is no stranger to battling adversity, having started this season off with the G League’s Westchester Knicks, where he churned out an average of 8.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. However, with an ailing frontcourt that recently saw center Charles Bediako get the boot, Diakite's 49-game NBA experience with stints at Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, and Cleveland might just prove invaluable to the Spurs, according to KSAT.

A product of the University of Virginia, Diakite helped the Cavaliers clinch their first NCAA basketball championship back in 2019, later earning accolades as part of the 2019-20 ACC All-Defensive and All-ACC second team. To the delight of the Spurs fans, Diakite will don the No. 29 jersey, though the financial specifics of his deal have been kept under wraps, in line with team policy.

With Diakite's signing, the Spurs' squad numbers swell to a total of 18 players, including star Victor Wembanyama, who’s currently on a minutes restriction. 

For more details on this roster update, visit the official Spurs website.