Cavaliers draft-and-stash prospect Saliou Niang is planning to play in the United States next season, but not in the NBA.
Niang has decided to play Division I basketball, Alessandro Maggi of Sportando tweets, with North Carolina and LSU in the running for his services.
Niang has been playing for Italy’s Virtus Bologna. The European club will receive a severance payment to allow Niang to head to the college ranks, where he’s expected to receive significant compensation.
In 38 EuroLeague games this past season, Niang averaged 7.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest. The 6’6” forward, 21, was selected with the No. 58 overall pick in the 2025 draft. He played in three Summer League contests last July, averaging 7.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 1.3 APG in 22.5 minutes per game.
The Cavaliers will retain Niang’s NBA rights — he’ll essentially become a domestic draft-and-stash prospect rather than an overseas one.
So, what does this mean for the Cavs? Can you add some context? Thanks.
How does this even work???
NCAA is a joke is how it works.
Does this mean because he was already drafted if he wants to go to the nba then it’s automatically the cavs
Yeah that’s what I’m wondering. He can just go straight to the Cavs after college now? Strange times.
It means the Cavs will be able to evaluate him stateside without having to pay him even a G-league salary. Also no roster spot wasted.
I’m wondering about the rules permitting him to play Cavs summer league or working out with the team while in school.
After all , he’s not a draft-eligible student, so he’s like any Joe off the street, eh?
Foreign players are not allowed to have NIL money
Ostensibly. But there are loopholes, and we wouldn’t be seeing so many international prospects playing NCAA ball now if they were all doing it for free. link to frontofficesports.com
Waiting for the Cavs to call him up for a 10-day during the college season