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Pacers Draft Georges Niang with 50th Overall Pick

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."