Georges Niang, the 50th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, still has a lot to show. His rookie season is behind him, though he didn’t get much of an opportunity nor did he make much of it.
The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 0.9 points and 0.7 rebounds in 23 appearances during the 2016-17 season where the Pacers finished 42-40. He made several trips north to Fort Wayne to play for their Development League team, the Mad Ants. And after January, Niang played a total of five minutes for the Pacers.
Summer League in Orlando was supposed to be a time for Georges to show what he can do. The first time, last summer, can be overwhelming as it comes after the draft and shortly after rookie/free agent camp. It’s a lot at once.
This time with one year under his belt Niang was ready … only to suffer a bone bruise in his left knee 87 seconds into the first game. He was then ruled out for the rest of the games.
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Topics Discussed:

* How summer league is different this time around
* What he’s been working on this summer
* Head coach Nate McMillan’s message to him
* Having several Iowa State players on the team
* The pressure of not having his salary guaranteed
* How he, as a player, observes free agency