The Atlanta Hawks made a slew of savvy transactions this summer to help themselves become an Eastern Conference contender. Among the home run moves GM Onsi Saleh pulled off were the Kristaps Porzingis acquisition, the Nickeil Alexander-Walker signing, and the trade with the Pelicans that landed them an unprotected 2026 first-round pick. Therefore, it's only natural that a few of the moves on the margins went under the radar.
One of those was signing undrafted free agent Eli Ndiaye. The 21-year-old Senegalese-Spanish big man was not selected in the 2025 NBA Draft but landed a two-way contract with the Hawks immediately after. The former Real Madrid player with extensive playing experience in the best basketball league in the world after the NBA, was hoping for a chance to crack the rotation among the thin Atlanta frontcourt.
Unfortunately, he just suffered an injury in the offseason that will set him back ahead of the season.
Eli Ndiaye leaves Spain’s training camp with shoulder issue #Eurobasket2025 https://t.co/YYXTlbvzuB
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 6, 2025
Hawks Rookie Suffers Offseason Injury With National Team
Ndiaye has been with the Spanish National Team this summer, preparing for EuroBasket 2025. He was a part of the 15-man roster for Spain but will have to leave the team after suffering a shoulder injury in the first exhibition game against Portugal. He will reportedly have to undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury.
Hawks fans got their first glimpse of Ndiaye during the Summer League as he suited up against the Heat, putting up 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block in 21 minutes of action. Now they will, unfortunately, have to wait a little longer before they see him in action again.
How this injury will impact Ndiaye's rookie season remains to be seen, but this is obviously a disappointing development for a 21-year-old who already had an uphill battle for playing time. Ndiaye will likely spend significant time with the College Park Skyhawks of the G League as a rookie and will have to prove himself to the Hawks' top brass to earn a spot in the rotation.