The Milwaukee Bucks have overseas prospect Saliou Niang on their workout list ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, per HoopsHype. While the youngster likely won't make his way onto Milwaukee's roster with the 47th overall selection, he'd make a great project the team could pick up and stash on next season's G League squad.
The Milwaukee Bucks need to find a hidden gem or two
The Bucks must move past the days when they added players simply because of their names. It's a stale formula at this point. This past season is a great example. Milwaukee signed Delon Wright to a team-friendly deal in free agency, and while it looked solid on paper, he never panned out. It was the underrated Ryan Rollins who overtook Wright's spot and gave this team some life.
Can Milwaukee find another Ryan Rollins-esque gem? Though very different players, Niang has the potential to be a nice pickup for a Milwaukee Bucks team looking to develop young talent.
Athleticism and versatility are becoming vital in today's NBA; Niang has both. At 6-foot-7 with a long 6-foot-10.75 wingspan, the forward has the height and length to hound various positions. On top of that, he's an electric athlete the likes of what this Milwaukee team should be salivating over, capable of making countless highlight plays on both ends at any given moment.
While the physical traits are captivating, Niang is still fairly raw at 21. He needs to work on his shot, and his overall offense is very much a work in progress. Furthermore, at just 190 lbs last season, he could stand to add a few pounds to keep up with bigger forwards at the next level - he could ask none other than Giannis Antetokounmpo for a few tips on bulking up.
That's where the G League comes in. Like other success stories, primarily AJ Green, the Bucks could pick Niang out of the undrafted pool and initially stash him with the Wisconsin Herd. There, he would earn an opportunity to legitimately spread his wings and work on his game, rather than sit at the NBA level and serve as a spectator most nights.
After a year down there, perhaps Niang would have a better feel for the game and have a chance to make his way up to the next step.
Niang has the physical traits, but it's the rest that comes into question. With the proper development, there's a chance he could help shore up Milwaukee's athleticism, versatility, and defensive acumen. If he goes undrafted, it wouldn't be shocking if the Milwaukee Bucks called him swiftly.
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