The 27-year-old N’Diaye is a defense-first center. He played four seasons of basketball at Rutgers University in New Jersey, averaging 9.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game in his senior season and winning Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He was drafted 56th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and was traded on draft night to the Washington Wizards. He played in 19 games over two seasons with the Wizards before getting cut. After a year off, the Sacramento Kings gave him a contract, and he spent last year bouncing between the NBA and the D-League.
N’Diaye, who was born in Senegal, most recently played for the Senegalese national basketball team in the FIBA World Cup Championships, averaging 5.7 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 17 minutes per game over five games. Senegal lost in their first-round matchup to Spain.
He measures out at seven feet tall with a ridiculous 7’6″ wingspan, and is also, like most NBA centers, too tall for most showers.
N’Diaye will compete with other recent camp signee Jerome Jordan, a seven-footer who played just one season in the NBA.
The Nets already have fifteen players under contract, but two players are non-guaranteed — third-string point guard Jorge Gutierrez and 59th overall pick Cory Jefferson. By signing two players with NBA experience, the Nets will look for those two to earn their draft spot.
