CHARLOTTE, N.C. \u2014 Hornets center Moussa Diabate has officially entered the fan\u2011favorite frontier \u2014 now that he\u2019s got a song written about him.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cI think each verse was only four bars,\u201d Greensboro rapper and Hornets fan, Kevin \u201cKwarn\u201d Warner said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe motor he plays with, how hard he plays,\u201d Warner said. \u201cMoussa plays like his life depends on it every single time he steps on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s greeted with a cascade of \u201cMoooooose\u201d every time he\u2019s introduced or grabs the ball.<\/p>\n
And on the floor, he scraps for every rebound \u2014 one of the NBA\u2019s most relentless board\u2011getters \u2014 and takes flight for ferocious finishes that send his fans into a frenzy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like when he dunks,\u201d a few kids say. He\u2019s a hit with the youngsters.<\/p>\n
And of course, there\u2019s the moose antlers.<\/p>\n
Everybody\u2019s got them \u2014 kids, adults, even teammates.<\/p>\n
The ones the team sells in the Hornets Fan Shop for $10 have sold out at several games,<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s those little fun things, as kids, you always remember \u2014 oh, I used to wear those antlers,\u201d Diabate said.<\/p>\n
Before he was giving young fans core memories in the Queen City, Diabate grew up in Paris \u2014 by his own description, a \u201ccrazy kid.\u201d<\/p>\n
That inner crazy kid still remains every time Diabate tussles for a rebound.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. I feel like I\u2019ve always had that. Any event in my life, \u00a0it was always where I needed to fight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His mother showed him how. She emigrated alone from Mali to France, starting with nothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cStarted at the bottom of the ladder. Living in hotels. It was tough,\u201d he said. I got the chance to see my mom work very, very hard to get us out of situations. It\u2019s a testament to her mentality and strength. It gave me an example of what I want to be \u2014 relentless, never give up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Diabate is the oldest of seven children \u2014 with six younger sisters.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve always been a protective brother,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re angels to me, they\u2019re like my kids. I hope they can look up to me and be proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
Signed first to a two\u2011way deal, he fought his way to a multi\u2011year contract \u2014 and this season, a spot in Charlotte\u2019s successful starting lineup.<\/p>\n
Fans were already in love with their Moose before that February brawl with the Pistons.<\/p>\n
Suspended four games, Diabate feared fans might turn on him.<\/p>\n
\u201cFunny enough, it was the complete opposite,\u201d he said. \u201cThey loved it. Obviously you don\u2019t want to see that, but it was the fact we don\u2019t want to stand down.\u201d<\/p>\n
From Paris, to three different high schools, to Michigan, to the Clippers and the G\u2011League\u2026 the journey has been anything but simple.<\/p>\n
But now \u2014 when the Moose is loose in Charlotte \u2014 it just feels like home.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cAs a city, Charlotte is a hard\u2011working city,\u201d Diabate said. \u201cAnd through my game, I think they see themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Contact Nick Carboni at\u00a0ncarboni@wcnc.com<\/a>\u00a0and follow him on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0X<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n