Always accompanied by victory, what kind of player is Niang really?

One surprising statistic is the win percentage leaderboard for active players (over 500 games), where Leonard ranks first, Tatum second, Green third, Mitchell fourth, and George Niang fifth.

The top four are all All-Star caliber players and have been part of winning teams for a long time, so their high win rates are not unexpected. But why does Niang, in fifth place, manage to outperform many star players?

Yesterday, Niang was once again traded from the Celtics to the Jazz, a team that has been significant for his rise to fame. An interesting statistic is that over the past six seasons, Niang has won 295 games, while the Jazz have won 230 games.

Before entering the NBA, Niang had a remarkable high school and college career. In his senior year of high school, he averaged 24 points, and in his final year, he averaged 25 points and 7.2 rebounds. Even now, Niang still holds the scoring record at Teton High School.

During his four years in college, he scored over 2,000 points at Iowa State University. Initially, he planned to enter the draft after his junior year, but he decided to play one more year to leave his mark in the school's history. Ultimately, he played 138 games over four years, winning 98 of them, both of which are records at Iowa State.

However, as a 23-year-old rookie, Niang was only selected 50th overall by the Pacers. Larry Bird, then president of the Pacers, had high hopes for him, but during his rookie season, he only appeared in 23 games and was cut by the Pacers the following season.

Niang received a training camp contract with the Warriors but was ultimately waived and had to play for the Warriors' G League affiliate. In the 2017-18 season, he averaged 18.4 points and 6.7 rebounds in the G League, which earned him a two-way contract from the Jazz.

This season, he only played 9 games for the Jazz, averaging 1 point and 1 rebound, but due to his impressive performance in the G League, the Jazz signed him to a three-year, $4.9 million contract in the summer of 2018, which significantly changed the trajectory of his career. Notably, in the 2017-18 season, the Jazz won all 9 games he played.

In his third year in the league, Niang finally became a stable rotation player for the Jazz, coinciding with the team's rise during those two years. They achieved 50 wins in the 2018-19 season, 44 wins in the shortened 2019-20 season, and 52 wins in 72 games during the 2020-21 season, finishing first in the Western Conference.

Over three-plus seasons with the Jazz, Niang played a total of 206 games, averaging 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists, with a three-point shooting percentage of 41.1%. His playing style became well-defined, showcasing a decent three-point shot and acceptable defense, making him a reliable role player, especially given how well he fit into the Jazz's overall style.

However, after his three-year contract ended, the Jazz decided not to re-sign Niang, who then joined the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $6.7 million contract. During his two years in Philadelphia, he remained a stable scorer off the bench, with a three-point shooting percentage exceeding 40%.

During these two years, the 76ers also performed well in the Eastern Conference, achieving 51 wins and 54 wins, respectively. Of course, these achievements were limited to the regular season, as they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference semifinals in both playoff seasons. Embiid suffered a torn ligament in his thumb in the 2022 playoffs and a facial fracture from an elbow by Siakam, while in the 2023 playoffs, he had a sprained lateral collateral ligament.

Of course, none of these issues significantly affected Niang as a role player. As a role player, he only needed to focus on his responsibilities, hitting open three-pointers to secure his next contract. His next contract came from the Cavaliers, a three-year, $26 million deal, which was the largest of his career.

In his first season with the Cavaliers, Niang's three-point shooting percentage slightly decreased to 37.6%, but his attendance for all 82 games was impressive, averaging 9.4 points. Last season, Niang also played all 51 games, with a three-point shooting percentage reaching 40%. It can be said that Niang participated in every game of his Cavaliers career, achieving maximum attendance.

These two years also coincided with the Cavaliers' rise, with last season's win rate being astonishing. As a result, Niang's career win percentage continued to climb, ultimately reaching fifth place among active players.

In February, he was traded from the Cavaliers to the Hawks, and in June, he was sent from the Hawks to the Celtics. He is a local from Massachusetts, but it seems that Celtics fans are not very receptive. Niang remarked, "They don't care if I'm from Boston; they're thinking, 'We traded for Porziņģis and got this guy in return'... I feel like I'm the public enemy now."

The good news is that Niang has now joined a team that is recognized by both fans and management. The Jazz hope Niang can take on the role of a veteran in the locker room, and he will also have opportunities to play here.

However, Niang's high win percentage career may be coming to an end.