Wizards to Assign Hamady N'Diaye to NBA D-League

Filed under: Wizards, NBA D-League, Dakota Wizards

The Washington Wizards will assign rookie center Hamady N'Diaye to the NBA D-League's Dakota Wizards in anticipation of Dakota's back-to-back series against the Maine Red Claws beginning Thursday.

The 2009-10 Big East Defensive Player of the Year was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 56th overall selection in this year's NBA Draft, though he was traded to Washington, along with fellow rookie Trevor Booker, for Lazar Hayward and the rights to Nemanja Bjelica on draft night.

N'Diaye, a 7-foot center, was a shot-blocking machine in his four years at Rutgers but has not been able to crack Flip Saunders' rotation with the Wizards, appearing in just four games for Washington this season for a total of 11 minutes. In his only start for the Wizards in the Vegas Summer League, N'Diaye had nine points, seven rebounds and four blocks in 30 minutes against the New York Knicks.

With Dakota, N'Diaye should certainly see more playing time as they recently lost their other NBA-assigned player, DeMarre Carroll of the Memphis Grizzlies. N'Diaye will join a frontcourt rotation that includes former Wizard Mike Hall, Celtics training camp shot-blocker Chris Johnson and former Detroit Pistons draft pick Walter Sharpe.

After not getting into basketball until the age of 16, N'Diaye is a great fit for the D-League. His penchant for hustling and being a good teammate -- along with the intangibles he displayed at Rutgers -- should allow him to thrive and reach closer to his potential while playing significant minutes against like competition.

This marks Washington's first foray into D-League assignments since the 2005-06 season when Andray Blatche and Peter John Ramos were both assigned to the Roanoke Dazzle prior to the current affiliation process.

 

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