Saliou Niang from Lecco to the NBA: drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers

Lecco, June 27, 2025 – An Italian is once again selected in the NBA draft . It is Saliou Niang, chosen with the 58th overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers . The 21-year-old from Lecco is the 12th Italian player to be chosen in the US professional league.

Niang, already called up to the national team by coach Pozzecco, grew up in the youth sector of Fortitudo Bologna and Aquila Basket before returning to Bologna for a season and then moving to Trento where he found his consecration in Serie A at Dolomiti Energia in the last two years. It is unlikely that he will settle in the NBA, even if he will probably join the Cavs to play at least the Summer League , in order to continue his growth in Europe.

Born in Dakar, Senegal , he grew up in the province of Lecco and is 199 centimeters tall. The center/forward from Trento was present at the B arkley Center in New York when he was called on stage for the presentation. The NBA, in addition to publishing a video of him on social media where Niang introduced himself in English, put online a video call in Italian of the player who greeted his mother in Italy: “Did you see?”, he said to her. “Yes, love. I saw,” the woman replied, moved.