MOULAYE NIANG

NIANG, MOULAYE

Home:  Senegal, Africa (Christian HS, El Cajon, CA)

2003:

BIOGRAPHY:

A three-year letterwinner at KU whose playing career ended following the 2004-05 season due to back troubles... Naing will be a student assistant for the Jayhawks in 2005-06 as he completes his degree in business finance.

Junior Season (2004-05) Appeared in 12 games as a junior... Provided seven minutes against Georgia Tech, grabbing two rebounds... Played a season-high 11 minutes, scoring four points and grabbing a career-high six rebounds against Texas A&M... Grabbed one rebound in three minutes in KU's win at Kentucky... Scored three points and grabbed one rebound against Texas... Had two points and one rebound at Nebraska.

Sophomore Season (2003-04) Was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Team... Saw action in 27 games for the Crimson and Blue... Averaged 0.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.7 minutes per game... Shot 70 percent from the free throw line and added six blocks on the season... Began the season with two points, a block and rebound in just one minute of action on Nov. 21 against UT Chattanooga... Scored three points and pulled down five rebounds in 18 minutes against Fort Hays State on Dec. 10... Logged a season-high 19 minutes, adding two points, five rebounds, one block, one steal and one assist, while going a perfect six-for-six from the free throw line against Oregon on Dec. 13... Tallied a career-high eight points and three steals against Binghamton on Dec. 29... Played 14 minutes and chipped in two points and two rebounds versus Colorado on Jan. 5... Recorded two points and one rebound against Missouri on Feb. 2... Poured in four points and three rebounds in nine minutes of action against Nebraska on March 3... Added one point and one rebound in just three minutes against Illinois-Chicago on March 19.

Freshman Season (2002-03) Saw action in 28 games, logging 6.9 minutes per contest... Averaged 1.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game... Blocked four shots and managed 14 steals... Nailed 10 free throws... Made his KU debut on Nov. 19 against Holy Cross, as he played nine minutes, went 1-for-1 from the field for two points and grabbed two rebounds... Swiped a career-best three steals against UNC Greensboro on Nov. 22... Played six minutes versus Florida in the Preseason NIT on Nov. 29 in Madison Square Garden, registering three points and a career-high five rebounds against the Gators... Racked up three points and three boards in nine minutes played versus Emporia State on Dec. 14... Tallied two points and two boards in seven minutes of action against UNC Asheville on Jan. 2... Registered two points, two rebounds and a block on Jan. 4 versus UMKC... Had four boards and two steals against Wyoming on Jan. 15... Tallied two points, three boards and a block versus Kansas State on Jan. 18... Played a career-high 20 minutes at Colorado on Jan. 22, scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds... Had two points in three minutes at Nebraska on Feb. 1... Poured in two points at Baylor on Feb. 11... Ripped down three rebounds in a home win over Iowa State on Feb. 16... Had two points, three rebounds and one steal versus Texas A&M on Feb. 26... Tallied two points, two boards and one assist in nine minutes of action in KU's regular-season finale at Missouri on March 9... Scored two points and snagged one rebound versus Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament on March 14... Recorded two points and one board against Arizona State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on March 22 in Oklahoma City... Final appearance of the season came on April 5 in the NCAA national semifinals against Marquette, where he played four minutes, scoring two points and grabbing one rebound.

High School El Cajon Christian High School (2002)... Coached by Curtis Hofmeister... Averaged 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game his senior season... Shot 53 percent from the floor... Led the Patriots to a 20-9 record as a senior... Named first-team All-County after his senior campaign... Tabbed Harbor League Player of the Year as a junior and senior... Tallied 12.5 points and 10 rebounds per game as a junior... Helped Christian High to a 22-6 record and an appearance in the sectional semifinals his junior year... Named MVP of the West Hills Tournament his junior year.

Off The Court Niang (pronounced Nyawn) is a native of Senegal, West Africa, and has only been in America for four years... He has only played basketball for 10 years, after spending the majority of his childhood on the soccer field... Named captain of the San Diego Union-Tribune's All-Academic team after posting a 3.92 grade point average as a senior... Chose KU over UConn and San Diego State... One of many recent Kansas players to travel to Lawrence from California, including such notables as Drew Gooden, Jacque Vaughn, Rex Walters, Scot Pollard, Paul Pierce and Adonis Jordan... Joins former Jayhawk big men Roger Brown and Wayne Hightower in wearing the number 55.

Career Honors 2004: Academic All-Big 12.

Friday, October 11, 2002

Full Name: Moulaye Niang. Favorite Food: Beef and rice. Favorite TV Show: Fresh Prince of Bellaire. What's In My CD Player Now: Hip Hop mix. Nickname: Mou Mou. If I Could Have Dinner With Anyone in World: Michael Jordan. After College I Plan On: Playing basketball.

Favorite Hobby Other Than Basketball: Dancing. Favorite Actor/Actress: Denzel Washington. I Try To Mold My Game After: Kevin Garnett. I Chose My Jersey Number Because: I like it. Favorite Vacation Spot: Senegal.

Favorite TV Sports Personality: Bill Walton. Favorite NBA Team: Orlando Magic. Favorite NBA Player: Kevin Garnett. Thing I Like About Coach Williams: Honesty, personality. Favorite Movie: Lovin Basketball. Favorite Non Basketball Pro Athlete: Ronaldo. Favorite Non Basketball Pro Team: Senegal Soccer team.

Highlights: Averaged 16.2 ppg and 9.8 boards at Christian High in El Cajon, Calif. … Hit 53 percent of shots … led Patriots to 20-9 recrod as senior … averaged 12.5 ppg and 10 rebounds as junior … has played basketball for only eight years.

Source:  KU Sports.com

Back problem ends Niang's KU hoops career

By Gary Bedore, Assistant Sports Editor

Saturday, June 4, 2005

Kansas University senior Moulaye Niang's basketball career is finished. Niang, a 6-foot-10 senior forward from Senegal, has a recurring back problem. He will remain on scholarship as part of the NCAA's medical red-shirt system, but he will not play again.

Niang would continue to help out in the basketball office, KU coach Bill Self said Friday. "We've been talking about this for a couple of months," Self said. "After a battery of tests, the doctors said his condition could worsen with the constant pounding involved in basketball. It could affect quality of life on down the road. He is in pain now, and it could be made more severe if he kept playing."

Niang will serve as a student assistant on the coaching staff. Niang averaged 0.6 points and 1.1 rebounds in 16 games as a junior last season. "The doctors said I would be taking a big risk if I played next year," Niang said. "I don't want to take any chances, and I need to think of the long term."

Niang flirted with transferring after the 2003-2004 season. He toured the Texas Christian University and San Diego State campuses last spring. However, shortly after 6-foot-11 David Padgett left for Louisville, Niang opted to remain.

Self said he appreciated Niang's contributions. "Absolutely. We love Mou," Self said. "He's been a great addition to the program. He's played hurt and practiced hurt. His back has been bothering him for quite some time. It's unfortunate it has come to this. The doctors told him it will not get better if he plays. Health, academics are more important than basketball."

Niang's future at stake

Player: Severe back woes too much to bear

By Gary Bedore, Assistant Sports Editor. Sunday, June 5, 2005

Moulaye Niang says it was not his decision to give up basketball. It also was not Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self's call for the Senegalese senior-to-be to bail on the sport that landed him a free college education. "It's my health that decided it," a somber Niang said.

Specifically, a degenerative disc in the 6-foot-10, 220-pounder's back -- one that has caused him great pain for more than a year -- forced the West African to call it a career. "If I mess up my back any more, I won't be able to walk," Niang said Saturday in a phone interview. "I want to have a regular life to be able to provide for me and my family. I have to give up the game I love. It's not worth the risks."

Niang, who scored nine points and grabbed 17 rebounds in 16 games his junior season, will remain at KU and continue to receive free tuition, room and board as part of the NCAA's medical hardship program. His athletic scholarship now will be available. He relinquished the athletic scholarship only after all medical avenues were explored.

"Coach and I went to see specialists and get second opinions. Every time I get an MRI, it's worse," Niang said of his back condition, which Niang said was genetic. "Everybody came to the same conclusion," Niang said. "The doctors said there's definitely a risk every time I play."

Niang, a business and finance major, plans to work in the KU basketball office as a student assistant the next 21/2 years as he completes an undergraduate degree and earns his master's. He said even if his back started to feel better, there was no chance he would return to hoops.

He won't explore the option of surgery as a final chance to salvage his career. "I'm young, too young to have back surgery," said Niang, unable to pinpoint the first time he first hurt his back. "I've been playing through it for more than a full season now."

Self said he respected Niang for doing all he could last season to get on the court. "‘Mou' played hurt and practiced hurt," Self said. "His back has been bothering him for quite some time. It's unfortunate it's come to this, but doctors told him it will not get better."

"In a year it may feel better, but will not be better," said Niang. "I'm definitely sad about it. Who wouldn't be? I can't play any more. But there's nothing I can do about it. It's life. It's my destiny. There's nothing to cry about, take it and move on."

Niang played two years of high school basketball for Curtis Hofmeister at Christian High in El Cajon, Calif. Like Niang, Hofmeister is distraught at the end of his prize pupil's career. "I talked to him not too long after the season was completed," Hofmeister said. "He said his back was killing him. At that time I had an idea it might end up like this. You never want to see it end like this for a person as great at Moulaye. At the same time, he'll land on his feet. I feel bad he won't finish all four years in basketball, but he will be a success in life.

"And he had the opportunity to play at a great school like Kansas, which he'll never forget." Niang said he was blessed to play at hoops power KU. "The fieldhouse ... playing in there is something I'll never forget," said Niang, who could conceivably attend hundreds of games in Allen Fieldhouse in the future as a rabid KU fan.

There's a chance he could become a U.S. citizen. "I don't know. I might," he said. "Only God knows that." He is not second-guessing himself for pursuing hoops instead of his first love, soccer, back in Senegal. "No. No. I do not think I'd have gotten as far as I have (in soccer)," Niang said. "I have no regrets. I love KU. This would have happened to me wherever I decided to go."