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, 2005-07). Drafted in the first round of the 2003 NBA draft (#21) by the Atlanta Hawks.

Diaw’s evolution with the French team has always been a step ahead of his progression with his club team. It proved true again in 2005, when the young forward who had struggled with Atlanta had a memorable tournament at EuroBasket. Diaw was selected for the 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 became more assertive 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. In Phoenix, though his stats did suffer a bit with the return of Amare Stoudemire to the line-up. The ultimate versatile and team player, Diaw can play every single position on the court.  In the summer of 2005, before the EuroBasket, Suns head coach Mike D'Antoni said Diaw would sooner or later be scoring 30 points in NBA games and would become an All-Star. Diaw is the son of one of the greatest French women players of all time, Elisabeth Riffiod, and of a Senegal high-jump champion, Issa Diaw.