The “Minivan” Georges Niang has only been playing for the Golden State Warriors for a few weeks, but the former Philadelphia 76ers sharpshooter is already matching Draymond Green’s enforcer energy out there.
On Saturday (Nov. 7), Niang got into a heated dust-up while facing the Orlando Magic.
During the second quarter, Niang and Wendell Carter Jr. were playing physical down low, and Niang held onto Carter a little too long for his liking. The two were gripping at each other’s jerseys while players from both teams flew in to break it up.
Draymond Green helps break it up.
Double techs on Niang and Carter Jr.
It’s nothing for new Niang, who had some “enforcer” moments for the Sixers as well as against them.
Georges Niang’s History Of Heated Moments With 76ers
Anybody can get it when Niang is fired up.
Back in 2023, Niang and his ex-teammate Shake Milton had a fiery moment on the Sixers’ bench when they had a miscommunication on the court. After the game, Niang admitted his wrongdoing:
“I was being a bad teammate,” Niang said. “There’s no need to do that on the court. It just didn’t need to happen. I need to get my emotions in check. Some of that, sometimes that stuff is good. You say what you gotta say and keep it moving.”
Later that year, Niang infamously grabbed at Jaylen Brown’s leg during a playoff game between the Boston Celtics and the 76ers. Brown and Niang exchanged words, and both players received technical fouls.
One of the other memorable heated moments with Niang was when Ben Simmons played against the 76ers for the first time since his highly documented holdout and trade. Niang would later admit that Simmons frustrated the veteran sharpshooter, but Sixers fans knew that much when they saw the fire that Niang was playing with against Simmons.
After Niang left the Sixers for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he spent some time there before getting traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
When the 76ers and the Hawks met in March 2025, Niang got into it with then-Sixer Quentin Grimes.
At the time, Grimes was having the best stint of his career, posting All-Star numbers on a struggling 76ers team. Niang took issue with Grimes and wanted to expose the fact that if the stars of the Sixers were on the floor, Grimes would be nothing more than a role player.
We’ll see if Niang has anything else in store for the 76ers when the Warriors and the Sixers meet for the first time this season on March 24, 2027.
