Georges Niang

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Playmakers are in vogue in the NBA these days. The one-dimensional specialists are giving way to the more versatile talents who can thrive both offensively and defensively in a game increasingly dominated by pick and rolls.

With that in mind, the Pacers drafted Iowa State's Georges Niang with the 50th overall selection in Thursday's NBA draft, adding a 6-foot-9 four-year collegian who they hope can step into the rotation immediately and bypass the detour to their Development League affiliate in Fort Wayne.

RELATED: Georges Niang Bio + Video Interview »   Photo Gallery »

Niang stood out in the final group workout against the likes of potential first-rounders Brice Johnson and Cheick Diallo, which went a long way toward convincing the Pacers to invest in a player they didn't expect to be available to them.

"You look at some of the teams and how they're playing that are going deep into the playoffs," general manager Kevin Pritchard said. "The spread four is really important. And then the other thing is you have to have four guys who can make plays. We thought Niang is really one of the best playmakers in college basketball.

The pick-and-roll game is (big). If your four man can dive but also pick and pop and shoot the ball, drive the ball and make quick decision plays, that's what we saw in that workout. Against bigger guys. Believe it or not that workout was really important to us. I don't know if it was 20 percent of it or 30 percent of it but it was an important workout."

RELATED: Story from Niang's Pre-Draft Workout »

Niang earned second- and third-team All-American honors last season at Iowa State, along with the Karl Malone Award as the nation's best power forward. He averaged 20.5 points on 55 percent shooting, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He was a college 3-point threat, hitting 39 percent of 4.1 attempts per game.

He was widely regarded as a borderline draft pick because of his lack of athleticism, but the Pacers believe his skills and IQ will make up for that.

"The game is athletic, but I think he's always gotten by and been successful because he's super crafty," Pritchard said. "My boss (Larry Bird) is pretty crafty, too...He knows how to use his body, he's got the spin moves, he does all that and he knows how to be in the right position on defense, too.

"We needed that. At the end of the year we said we really need to improve our overall team IQ."

Pritchard added that the Pacers made some attempts to obtain a late first-round draft pick after the draft began, but were unable to work a suitable trade. He said one early selection changed the entire draft, but declined to identify it.

"It was a very unique draft this year," he said.

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Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Indiana Pacers. All opinions expressed by Mark Montieth are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Indiana Pacers, their partners, or sponsors.

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Pacers Pick Up Playmaker in Niang

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Pacers Draft Georges Niang

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The Indiana Pacers have drafted Iowa State forward Georges Niang with the 50th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Niang, a 6-9 forward, averaged 20.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game as a senior for the Cyclones.

"We thought Niang (was) really one of the best playmakers in college basketball," Pacers general manager Kevin Pritchard said about the pick. "They pick-and-pop him, they give him the ball, he makes a lot of assists, he can shoot it...We didn't think he'd get to 50. We had him a lot higher on the board."

Niang worked out for the Pacers in their seventh and final pre-draft workout on Friday, June 17.

"The pick-and-roll game is (big). If your (power forward) can dive but also pick-and-pop and shoot the ball, drive the ball and make quick decision plays, that's what we saw in that workout," Pritchard said. "Against bigger guys. Believe it or not, that workout was really important to us."

"He's super crafty," Pritchard added. "He knows how to use his body. He's got the spin moves, he does all that and he knows how to be on the right position on defense, too."

SEE ALSO: Story from Niang's Pre-Draft Workout »

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Pacers Draft Georges Niang with 50th Overall Pick

On Friday morning, the Pacers held what is believed to be their final pre-draft workout before the 2016 NBA Draft next Thursday. Indiana welcomed six more prospects to Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday for drills and interviews. The Pacers, who have the 20th and 50th overall picks in this year's draft, have officially held seven workouts with a total of 42 players over the last month.

For the local media, the obvious headliner in attendance on Friday was Park Tudor and Indiana University alum Yogi Ferrell, who Mark Montieth wrote about for this site. But aside from Ferrell and fellow point guard Kyle Collinsworth, the workout featured four big men, making it the most interior-focused collection of players from any of the seven workout sessions open to the media.

Those big men can be divided into two clear camps. On the one hand, you had a pair of four-year college stars in North Carolina forward Brice Johnson and Iowa State star Georges Niang. On the other hand, you had a pair of 19-year-old prospects with rawer skill sets but greater upside in Cheick Diallo, who played sparingly in one season at Kansas, and Ante Žižić, a 7-footer from Croatia.

In many ways, the collection of talent on the TCU Practice Court on Friday was perfect metaphor for one of the biggest questions scouts and general managers face every June: Do you put more value in a draft prospect's potential or in their proven track record?

On the whole, draft analysts tend to value potential over production. ESPN.com's Chad Ford ranks Žižić as the 21st-best prospect in this year's draft class and has Diallo 27th. Ford ranks Johnson 37th and Niang 67th. DraftExpress.com has similar rankings, with Žižić (23rd) and Diallo (25th) again ranking ahead of both Johnson (30th) and Niang (70th).

While draft analysts' rankings are a good gauge for a general range in which a player might be drafted, NBA teams' evaluations and player rankings can vary widely based on what each particular front office values most. The Pacers' recent draft history is mixed, for example, with Indiana using its last two lottery picks on early entrants (Paul George in 2010 and Myles Turner in 2015) but taking four-year college players with their last two picks in the latter half of the first round (Miles Plumlee in 2012 and Solomon Hill in 2013).

DRAFT CENTRAL: Stories and Videos on 42 Draft Prospects at Pacers.com/Draft »

Of the four big men at Friday's workout, Diallo quite possibly has the most potential, but he's also the greatest unknown. Diallo grew up playing soccer in Mali and only picked up basketball after a growth spurt in his early teenage years.

Shortly thereafter, Diallo traveled to the United States, his departure hastened by the outbreak of a civil war in his native land in early 2012. He enrolled at Our Savior New American School in Centereach, New York, where he took ESL classes and played basketball.

"When I came here in 2012, it was so hard for me," Diallo said. "...I wasn't speaking English, just French...Even basketball-wise, it was really, really tough because you've got to know how to speak English so you can communicate with your teammates."

As Diallo's English improved, so, too, did his play on the court. His athleticism and all-out effort earned him numerous accolades and a scholarship to Kansas. He was named MVP of the 2015 McDonald's All-American Game after an 18-point, 10-rebound performance. He also drew rave reviews for his play at the Nike Hoop Summit last April, where he teamed with players like Ben Simmons, Jamal Murray, and Skal Labisserie to lead the World team to a win over the USA Junior National Select Team.

But eligibility concerns stalled the start of Diallo's career. The NCAA conducted a lengthy investigation into his high school transcript and initially barred Diallo from all team activities before clearing him to practice with the team on Oct. 1. They ultimately suspended him for the first five games of the regular season.

All of that turmoil put a hamper on Diallo's development. He found himself buried behind talented upperclassmen like All-American Perry Ellis on the Jayhawks' depth chart and struggled to grasp all the nuances of head coach Bill Self's offensive schemes. As a result, he played sparingly, averaging just 3.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 7.5 minutes per game. He didn't even appear in a handful of contests, including two of three games in the Big 12 Tournament and three of four games in the NCAA Tournament.

Still, Diallo was efficient in his limited time on the floor. His field goal percentage was .569 and his averages on a per-40-minute basis were solid: 15 points, 13 rebounds, 4.5 blocks per game.

Diallo really helped himself at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago in early May. He measured out at 6-9 with an exceptional 7-4 1/2 wingspan and a 35-inch vertical. But he was most impressive in 5-on-5 scrimmages, where he held his own against more seasoned players. Diallo posted 18 points (on 7-of-10 shooting), four rebounds, and four blocks in his first scrimmage and nine points (on 4-of-8 shooting), 10 boards, and two blocks in his second.

"I didn't get a lot of opportunity to play in college the way I wanted to play," Diallo said. "So in the Combine, I just came (to) show everybody what I can do best. That's why in the Combine I was going 120 percent."

Diallo's calling card is his effort, which he attributes to his days playing as a defender on the soccer fields in Mali, where he developed good footwork and the ability to, in his words, "run all day." His relentless hustle, combined with his length, should allow him to make an impact at the next level as a shot-blocker and rebounder, but his offensive game is still very raw.

Nonetheless, Diallo is confident that he can grow into a valuable contender at both ends. He said his biggest focus during the pre-draft process has been on improving his jump shot and he did knock down a high percentage of mid-range shots during shooting drills at the end of Friday's workout. Media members weren't allowed to watch early portions of the workout, but Diallo said he thought it was his best workout to-date just because of how well he competed in the trenches against bigger players like Johnson and Žižić.

Friday's workout was the first for Žižic, a 19-year-old Croatian center coming off a stellar European campaign.

While many younger players don't see a lot of playing time in the European professional ranks, Žižic saw plenty of minutes for Cibona Zagreb in the Adriatic League. The 7-footer averaged 13.4 points and 8 rebounds while shooting 63.9 percent from the field in 21 games last season.

"I'm an energy guy, I'm always 100 percent," Žižic said. "I try to catch every rebound and finish with strong dunks."

Žižic had the unique opportunity to spend the past season playing alongside his brother, Andrija, who has enjoyed a long professional career in Europe and with the Croatian national team (where he played alongside former Pacers forward Damjan Rudež). Andrija is 17 years older than Ante and in the last stages of his career, so he signed on with Cibona to backup and mentor his little brother.

"He's my biggest support and I'm thankful because we spent the last season together," Ante Žižic said."(It was a) big experience for me."

Like Diallo, Žižic figures to first make an impact with his effort and energy, but needs to expand his offensive repertoire to earn consistent playing time in the NBA. He said he's working on both his post-up game and his mid-range jumper as he prepares for next week's draft.

Given his status in Europe, Žižic is a potential "draft-and-stash" candidate, meaning that a team could take him with a first-round pick and maintain his draft rights but let him return to Cibona for another season. But if a team wants him to come to the NBA right away, they could do so simply by buying out his contract overseas.

While Diallo and Žižic might not be able to make a significant impact in the NBA next season, Johnson and Niang could contribute right away. Both forwards enjoyed decorated college careers and were among the best players in the country as seniors, earning AP All-American honors (Johnson was on the first team, while Niang was a second-team selection).

Johnson steadily grew into a bigger role in his four years at North Carolina. The 6-11 power forward increased his scoring and rebounding averages in each of his four years on campus and finished his senior season averaging 17.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

He said on Friday that he was initially overwhelmed physically as a 187-pound freshman, but put on over 30 pounds of muscle during his time in Chapel Hill that allowed him to emerge as a go-to player in the post for the Tar Heels. Johnson had several monster games as a senior, including a 39-point, 23-rebound performance at Florida State and a pair of games against Duke in which he averaged 24.5 points and 20 boards.

Most impressively, Johnson's offensive efficiency got better even as he took on a larger workload. His field goal percentage rose from .511 as a freshman to .566 as a sophomore and junior to .614 as a senior. Johnson made a living using his speed and athleticism to score seemingly at will in transition and runs to the rim, but he also has an effective post-up game.

The most glaring weakness on Johnson's résumé is an outside shot. He didn't attempt a single 3-pointer in his four years in college, something that puts him at a disadvantage as he transitions to a league that increasingly
values big men who can stretch the floor. That said, Johnson has solid mechanics on his mid-range jumper and shot over 78 percent from the free throw line as a senior, so he could develop more range over time.

"I have a great touch," Johnson said. "I'm able to shoot the jumper, that just wasn't my role in college. We had guards that were able to go out there and be able to shoot the ball. My job was to play in the post and be able to shoot mid-range jumpers here and there."

Niang, meanwhile, played a major role in each of his four seasons at Iowa State. His numbers as a senior were outstanding, as he averaged 20.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting extremely efficiently across the board (54.6 percent from the field, 39.2 percent from 3-point range, and 80.7 percent from the free throw line).

"I couldn't have done anything without my teammates," Niang said. "They do a great job of making me look good, putting me in the right spots. All the credit goes to them. They did a lot for me in my four years at Iowa State."

Niang mostly manned the power forward position in college, but he is a little undersized for that spot at the next level. He measured out at slightly under 6-9 at the Combine with a 6-10 wingspan (over half a foot shorter than Diallo's).

Niang's size has some scouts thinking he might be a better fit as a small forward in the NBA. He certainly has the offensive playmaking ability to succeed at that spot, but there are questions about his quickness defending perimeter players.

As a result, Niang finds himself receiving the dreaded "tweener label" from many draft analysts, which is a big reason why he ranks comparatively low in their draft class rankings. But the 23-year-old Massachusetts native insists that not having a natural positional fit is actually a positive in today's NBA.

"That tweener label is great," Niang said. "That means I can guard and play multiple positions. I think that's the unique part of me is that I have a high basketball IQ, I'm versatile, I'm unique, I can guard multiple positions. I think going forward I can be a luxury to the coach where he can put me on multiple spots on the floor."

Collinsworth Hoping Game Translates to Next Level

The final prospect at Friday's workout, Kyle Collinsworth, has one thing no one else to visit Bankers Life Fieldhouse during the pre-draft process can claim: an NCAA career record. Collinsworth registered 12 triple-doubles in his time at BYU, more than any other player in Division 1 history.

As a senior, the 6-6 point guard averaged 15.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. His size was a big plus for him at the college level, allowing him to collect plenty of rebounds and then push the break himself, seeing over the defense to find open teammates.

Those are all attributes that make Collinsworth an attractive prospect to NBA teams, but he has one glaring weakness: his jump shot. Collinsworth never shot more than 37 3-pointers in a season and never made more than nine, shooting under 29 percent from beyond the arc in three of his four years in Provo.

As a point guard, Collinsworth knows that he needs to overhaul his shot to have a chance of sticking in an NBA that places such a premium on outside shooting.

"It's a challenge," he said. "It's a little deeper (line). But I think for me it's more of a mindset right now (to just) shoot it. I didn't shoot a lot and then you get used to not shooting a lot. So (I'm) just changing my mindset, tweaking a few little things, and getting a lot of shots up."

Another factor working against Collinsworth is his age. He actually began his college career in 2010, acting as a role player on the BYU team that featured 2011 national player of the Year Jimmer Fredette. Collinsworth then spent two years in Russia on a Mormon mission before returning to Utah for his final three collegiate seasons.

Though he'll turn 25 before the start of his first professional season, Collinsworth feels his maturity would make him a welcome fit in any locker room.

"When things go bad, I know how to handle it well," he said. "I've been away from home, away from everybody, (part of) different cultures."

Note: Watch one-on-one video interviews with all six prospects at Friday's pre-draft workout in the video player below.

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Should the Pacers Go For Potential Star or Proven Commodity?

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Height: 6-9
Weight: 231
Position: SF/PF
College: Iowa State
Age: 23

PPG: 20.5
RPG: 6.2
APG: 3.3
BLK: 0.6
STL: 0.9

Player BioCourtesy of Iowa State Athletics

AS A SENIOR(2015-16): Saw action and started in all 35 games ... had one of the best single seasons in school history, earning Consensus All-America honors and winning the Karl Malone Award (Best Power Forward) ... first Cyclone men's basketball player to win a national individual award ... unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First Team ... ISU's first men's basketball two-time All-American ... earned USBWA All-America (Second Team), AP All-America (Second Team), NABC All-America (Second Team), Wooden Award All-America (Second Team) and Senior CLASS Award All-America honors (Second Team) ... led the team, was second among Big 12 players and 23rd nationally, averaging 20.5 points ... his 718 points were the seventh-most scored by any Cyclone in a single season and the 14th most by any player nationally this season ... scored 20.0 points per game in Big 12 play, becoming the first Cyclone since Craig Brackins in 2009 to average 20 points in league action ... averaged a career-best 6.2 rebounds to go along with 3.3 assists per game ... only Big 12 player to rank among the league's top-10 in scoring, rebounding and assists ... shot 54.6 percent from the field, 39.2 percent from behind the arc and 80.7 percent from the free-throw line ... one of just two players nationally to average 20 points and shoot 60 percent on 2-point field goals ... in conference play, became just the fifth player in league history to average 20 points and shoot 54 percent ... finished his career second all-time at ISU with 2,228 career points ... also fourth all-time among Big 12 players in career scoring and second with 1,151 career points in conference games only ... third in ISU and Big 12 history with 849 career field goals made ... also finished fourth in 3-pointers made (188), 10th in assists (421), 11th in rebounds (714), 12th in free throws made (342) and 14th in blocks (67) in his career ... owns ISU's record for games played (138) and tied for the top spot in career starts (126) ... scored in double figures in all 35 games and 115 times in his career ... ends career having scored in double figures in 44 consecutive games ... tallied 20 points 17 times and 30 points on four different occasions ... posted three double-doubles this season and five in his career ... matched his career-high with 31 points against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament, making 13-of-18 shots ... became just the second player in Big 12 history to earn all-tournament team honors three times ... earned NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament team honors after averaging 28.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in three games ... shot 54.1 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from behind the arc and 85.7 percent from the line in those three contests ... had 28 points in the first round against Iona and the second round against Little Rock before scoring 30 points in the Sweet 16 against Virginia ... just the seventh player to score 30 points against Virginia in the first seven years of the Tony Bennett era ... he was just the fifth player in NCAA Tournament history to score 28 or more points in three consecutive games and the first player in tournament history to have at least 25 points, five rebounds and three assists in three-straight games ... ISU's all-time leading scorer in NCAA Tournament play with 148 points ... also leads in field goals made (58) and is second in rebounds (43) ... averaged 21.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in seven career NCAA Tournament games ... when his career ended he was the only player in the nation and one of just four players since 1994-95 with 2,000 points, 700 rebounds and 400 assists.

AS A JUNIOR (2014-15): Played and started all 34 games, earning All-Big 12 First-Team and All-America honors ... was a finalist for the Karl Malone Award (Best Power Forward) ... was also on Wooden Award, Lute Olson Award, Oscar Robertson and Naismith Trophy Watch Lists ... averaged a team-high 15.3 points, which ranked third among Big 12 players ... grabbed 5.4 rebounds and dished out 3.4 assists per contest ... was one of 14 players nationally, including just four in power conferences, to average 15-5-3 ... was seventh in the Big 12 in assists per game ... one of the Big 12's best shooters, connecting on 46.1 percent of his field goal attempts (6th) and 80.8 percent of his free throws (7th) ... shot 40 percent on 3-pointers ... hit 45.3 percent of 3-point attempts in conference action, becoming just the fourth Cyclone to make at least 25 threes in Big 12 play while shooting better than 45 percent ... was second among Big 12 players on 3-point percentage in conference action ... earned most outstanding player honors at the Big 12 Tournament after leading ISU to a second title in a row ... averaged 18 points, five rebounds and four assists in ISU's three wins ... scored in double figures in 28 games, including eight games with 20 or more points ... tallied 30 points in the season opener against Oakland, becoming the 31st Cyclone player to score 1,000 career points in the win ... had second career double-double against Georgia State, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds ... had 28 points against Alabama and 26 against Arkansas ... was 9-of-12 against Arkansas, while also dishing out a season-high eight assists ... finished with 23 points, including 20 in the second half, as ISU rallied from 21 points down to win the regular season finale against Oklahoma ... had 22 points in Big 12 quarterfinal win against Texas ... in the semifinals against Oklahoma, scored 13 points and grabbed eight boards ... had 19 points and five boards in the finals against Kansas ... scored 11 points and had seven boards against UAB in the NCAA Tournament ... earned a pair of Big 12 Player of the Week accolades.

AS A SOPHOMORE (2013-14): Played and started the first 33 games of the season before suffering a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, a win against North Carolina Central ... third on the team in scoring with 16.7 points per game ... was in double figures 29 times, including 11 games with 20 or more points ... scored 17 or more points in 14 of his final 18 games ... also grabbed 4.4 rebounds and dished out 3.6 assists ... was only non-guard ranked among the top-10 in the Big 12 in assists per game ... led ISU averaging 18.7 points at the Big 12 Championships, including a 25-point performance in the Cyclones' win against Kansas in the semifinals ... had 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting before leaving with an injury in the win against North Carolina Central ... scored 27 points against Oklahoma ... was the Cyclones' closer, shooting 53.7 percent in the final five minutes of games ... had six of his 19 points in the final four minutes against BYU and six of his 10 points in final four minutes against Michigan ... made game-winning reverse layup with 18 seconds left against Iowa ... finished with 24 points against the Hawkeyes ... earned Big 12 Player of the Week honors for his effort against Iowa.

AS A FRESHMAN (2012-13): Recorded one of the finest rookie seasons in school history, averaging 12.1 points and 4.6 rebounds while starting 23 games ... named to the Big 12 All-Rookie team ... led the team and ranked fifth in the Big 12 in field goal percentage at 51.5 percent (157-305 FG) ... shot 39.2 percent (38-97 3FG) from 3-point range and 70.0 percent (70-100 FT) at the free-throw line ... was the fourth-best freshman scorer in the Big 12, becoming just the 13th Cyclone in school history to average double figures in scoring (12.1) ... his 422 points scored is the fourth-most by a Cyclone freshman ... scored in double figures 23 times ... made 38 3-pointers to rank third on ISU’s freshman list ... started all 18 Big 12 games, averaging 12.5 points and shooting 49.7 percent from the field ... named Big 12 Rookie of the Week (Jan. 14) after scoring 18 points vs. Texas ... made the game-winning basket with 0:02 seconds left to defeat West Virginia ... tallied 16 points (6-7 FG) at Oklahoma State ... posted 19 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3FG) vs. TCU ... tied his career high with 19 points (8-14 FG) vs. Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament ... registered 19 points (9-13 field goals) vs. Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

HIGH SCHOOL: Considered one of the best players on the East Coast, ending his prep career as a consensus national top-100 recruit ... was ranked No. 42 by Lindy’s, No. 56 by ESPNU, No. 69 by Scout.com, No. 69 by Rivals.com, No. 73 by Sporting News and No. 81 by CBS Sports in the 2012 prep national rankings ... 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 ... a three-time First-Team All-NEPSAC Class AA pick, Niang was the 2012 NEPSAC Class AA Player of the Year ... averaged 25.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a senior ... averaged 24.2 points and 8.2 rebounds as a junior ... led his team to the 2011 NEPSAC Class AA championship with a 72-56 win over St. Mark’s (Mass.) ... was named outstanding player of the tournament, scoring 23 points on 11-of-11 shooting from the field in the championship game ... team lost in the 2011 National Prep Championship to Notre Dame Prep (87-85), as Niang scored 31 points ... played for the Boston-based BABC AAU team, the same program that featured former Cyclone and NBA player Will Blalock ... his BABC squad won the 2011 Nike Peach Jam, one of the best AAU tournaments in the country ... teammates at Tilton and in AAU with Nerlens Noel ... won four NEPSAC titles, one national prep championship, one AAU national championship and one Nike EYBL title in his career ... played in the 2012 Mary Kline All-Star game ... also had offers from Iowa, Providence, Texas A&M and Seton Hall.

PERSONAL: Born June 17, 1993 in Lawrence, Mass. ... son of Sidy and Alison Niang ... first name pronounced “George” ... last name pronounced Knee-yang ... business marketing major ... was student body president at Tilton Prep.

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