“I am here to qualify for the World Cup and play in it with Italy.” Saliou Niang clearly outlined his ambitions in an interview with Matteo De Santis of La Stampa ahead of Italy’s qualifiers against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.
Subject to NCAA eligibility clearance, the 22-year-old views a potential season at LSU as an important step toward the NBA. “Choosing college comes from my desire to keep improving and become a more complete player. My relationship with Cleveland is close. I could have gone there this summer, but we are working on a path that will prepare me for the big leap.”
Niang also discussed the increasing visibility of athletes of African descent in Italian sports. “Seeing so many Afro-Italians achieve important results is a beautiful thing. I hope this trend continues and normalizes something that is already ordinary in countries such as France and Germany.” Born in Dakar and raised in Italy from the age of two, he added: “I have always felt Italian and have never experienced racism.”
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