Cavs Second-Rounder Saliou Niang Signs With Virtus Bologna

A move that was expected is now official, as Cavaliers second-round pick Saliou Niang has signed with EuroLeague club Virtus Bologna, the team announced.

Niang is 6-foot-6 and was selected with the No. 58 pick overall. He has been playing with the Cavs’ summer squad, showing a nice upside in limited action (7.7 points and 6.7 assists). But Cavs GM Mike Gansey called Niang a draft-and-stash prospect right from the start.

Nevertheless, there appears to be a good chance Niang could join the Cavaliers next season.

“We’ve been following him since he was like 15,” Gansey said. “He’s 21, but in basketball years, he’s probably around 18 or 19. The last two years, the strides he’s made have been pretty incredible.”

Niang appeared in 30 games for Trento during the 2024-25 Italian League season, averaging 8.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.6 steals. He shot 53.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent on threes and 71.2 percent from the line.

Virtus Bologna has been a dominant force in Italy, capturing three league championships over the past four seasons and claiming the Italian Cup title in 2022-23.

In related news, fellow Cavaliers second-rounder Tyrese Proctor scored 35 points in a summer-league loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. You can check out the full story here.