U18 Real big man Ndiaye thankful for his chance

Mar 23, 2021 by David Hein, EuroLeague.net Print
U18 Real big man Ndiaye thankful for his chance

After Eli Ndiaye helped U18 Real Madrid win the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Istanbul and secure a spot in the ANGT Finals, he was recognized for his skills and hard work by earning ANGT Istanbul MVP honors.

Ndiaye was crucial in Real fending off a fight from U18 Stellazzurra Rome to capture a 77-85 victory in the ANGT Istanbul first-place game. The center collected 28 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 8 fouls drawn for a PIR of 36 in the win.

"I have to thank Real Madrid for helping me to compete every day at a great level."

"The level of this competition is incredible and that makes this the best tournament in Europe. So winning it is special for us," said Ndiaye, who averaged 17.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals for an average index rating of 23.8 to earn the Most Valuable Player award.

"He deserves that a lot. He is a good teammate. He always thinks about the team and what he must do for them. I'm very happy for him because if there was one player who deserves it, it’s him," said Real’s U18 head coach Mariano De Pablos about Ndiaye.

The Senegal native is a key component in Real’s chances of winning a third U18 continental crown following its titles from 2015 and 2019. And he would love to give that to the club.

"For us the players, for the club, it would be very important. The club is helping us every day to improve in every aspect of our lives – on and off the court, and for that, I am very grateful," Ndiaye said. "Winning titles is the ultimate success that we all work for. But on the way to that success, there is a lot of work behind that, which has almost the same value."

Ndiaye certainly has put in the work to improve since coming to Europe from Senegal in 2017 as a 13-year-old. He hails from Guediawaye, which is along the coast of the western tip of Senegal near Dakar.

"Life in Senegal was different, but I enjoyed that time a lot. I spent all the time with my family and friends, who encouraged me to practice basketball when I grew up and started to be taller than the average kids because I used to play soccer. It was a good decision," he explained.

"When I arrived in Madrid, everything was different compared to my life in Senegal: the city, the customs, the language. I remember that I arrived with great expectations and enthusiasm, and that helped me during those first months."

The 2004-born Ndiaye gradually rose the ranks with Real, going from the "Infant A" in 2017-18 to "Cadet B" in 2018-19 and "Cadet A" in 2019-20 and finally the "Junior" level this season. Along the way, he helped Real win the 2019 Spanish U16 domestic title. He collected 10 points, 17 rebounds and 2 blocks in the final and won the MVP trophy.

Despite not turning 17 until late June, Ndiaye is playing this season in the Spanish fourth league EBA, where he is averaging 11.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 0.9 steals.

"I have to thank Real Madrid for helping me to compete every day at a great level. This season I've had the opportunity to play in EBA, where I face good young players and also more experienced players," said Ndiaye, who scored in double figures four times in a five-game stretch from mid-February to mid-March. "That’s something new for me. That helps in my growth as a player and forces me to play basketball in a different situation in which I learn a lot of things."

And that leads him to putting in more work to get even better.