The Atlanta Hawks waived Eli Ndiaye on New Year’s Eve, opening a two-way spot on the roster. Ndiaye suffered a torn labrum in a G League matchup on December 9th and received a season-ending surgery shortly after.
Ndiaye was signed shortly after going undrafted this past offseason and made a name for himself in summer league. While he only played 21 minutes before being sidelined for a wrist injury, he dropped 12 points and six boards in what was a dominant performance from the rookie. He was so impressive that ESPN's Kevin Pelton labeled him the best undrafted rookie in summer league despite the limited sample size.