Mamadou N'diaye
From Hoopedia
Mamadou N'diaye (born June 16, 1975 in Dakar) is a Senegalese professional basketball player. After a college career at Auburn University, N'Diaye was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2000 NBA Draft. He played for the Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA but currently plays in Europe.
Early Years
Jeff Laplante, coach of Jacksonville St. University witnessed Mamadou on the soccer field and convinced him that basketball was more suited to his size and abilities.
N'Diaye made the Senegalese national basketball team as an 18-year-old but was also an excellent student. He impressed a basketball coach from Maine Central Institute, a 500-student prep school near Bangor, Maine and was persuaded to come back with the coach in order to attempt to make a career out of professional basketball. He graduated third in his class after going to Maine.
College
N'Diaye got off to a slow start at Auburn but improved every year. In his junior year, he broke Charles Barkley's career record for blocks. His long reach and athleticism made him the anchor of Auburn University's defense for much of his time there.
His averages per game during his senior season there were 26.3 minutes, 8.9 points, 8 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 2.2 turnovers, and 3.1 fouls. He made 2.9 of 5.5 field goals (53%) and 3.1 of 4.6 free throws (67%) that senior year. He finished his college career with averages of 21.7 minutes, 6.8 points on 50.7% shooting and 64.1% free throws, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 turnovers and 1.9 blocks per game.
NBA
N'Diaye was the 26th first-round selection by the Denver Nuggets in the 2000 NBA Draft. In January 2001, N'Diaye was traded with Keon Clark and Tracy Murray to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Kevin Willis, Aleksander Radojevic, Garth Joseph, a second round draft pick and a $564,603 trade exception.
N'Diaye appeared in his first NBA game during the 2000-01 season with the Raptors. He played in Toronto through the 2002-03 season. His tenure in Toronto coincided with that of the tail-end of that of veteran All-Star Hakeem Olajuwon's. Mamadou admits, "practising against Hakeem helped me tremendously."
He signed with the Dallas Mavericks in January 2004 but was released later that month. He signed with the Atlanta Hawks in February 2004 but was assigned to the Asheville Altitude of the NBDL. In March 2004, he was released by the Hawks and returned to the Altitude. He also signed again with the Atlanta Hawks later that month.
N'Diaye signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in August 2004 but was waived in June 2005. In 11 games with the L.A. Clippers, he averaged 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.5 minutes per contest.
In October 2005, he joined the Golden State Warriors but was waived later that month. He signed with PAOK BC later that season.
He played in 69 games in the NBA, averaging 3.8 points on .427 shooting and .736 free throws with 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 fouls and 0.9 blocks in 12.4 minutes.
