Education
Tilton School.
Tilton School.
A three-year starter and two-year team captain, Niang capped off his career as one of the greatest players in The Tilton School history, amassing a school-record 2,372 points. He was named outstanding player of the tournament, scoring 23 points on 11-of-11 shooting from the field in the championship game. His team lost in the 2011 National Preparatory Championship to Notre Dame Preparatory (87-85), as Niang scored 31 points.
He played for the Boston-based BABC Amateur Athletic Union team, the same program that featured former Cyclone and National Basketball Association player Will Blalock.
Georges was considered one of the best players on the East Coast, ending his prep career as a consensus national top-100 recruit. He was ranked Number. 42 by Lindy’s, Number.
56 by ESPNU, Number. 69 by Scout.com, Number. 69 by Rivals.com, Number.
73 by Sporting News, and Number.
81 by Columbia Broadcasting System Sports in the 2012 prep national rankings. He also had offers from Iowa, Providence, Texas Agricultural and Mechanical, and Seton Hall, eventually committing to Iowa State. Niang was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team in his freshman year in 2013.
In the second round of the 2014 National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament, Niang broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, forcing him to sit for the remainder of the event.
As a sophomore, he averaged 16.7 points and 4.5 rebounds as the third most prominent offensive weapon for Iowa State behind Melvin Ejim and DeAndre Kane. Niang cut back on his calorie consumption in the 2014 offseason and consequently slimmed down to 230 pounds from 260 pounds.
As a junior, Niang led the team in scoring with 15.3 points per game to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Seeded third in the 2015 National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament, the Cyclones were upset by 14th seeded UAB in the round of 64 despite 11 points and seven rebounds from Niang.
He considered entering the 2015 National Basketball Association Draft, but instead decided to return for his senior season.
"I was weighing it, but I want to be loyal to the program and didn"t want to go out this way," Niang said. "I didn"t want to leave my mark like that."
Niang surpassed the 2,000 point threshold as a senior. He was named to the 35-man midseason watchlist for the Naismith Trophy on February 11.
Quotations: "I was weighing it, but I want to be loyal to the program and didn"t want to go out this way,".