Suche
Mein Konto
Dreamlike NBA future: Ulm star Noa Essengue in draft fever!
Noa Essengue, a talented basketball player from Neu-Ulm, is one of the top candidates in the 2025 NBA Draft in New York.
Dreamlike NBA future: Ulm star Noa Essengue in draft fever!
It's an exciting time for young basketball player Noa Essengue. The 18-year-old Frenchman has made a name for himself in the basketball world and is one of the hottest talents at the upcoming NBA draft in New York. How Ulm News reports, the draft will take place next Wednesday at the Barclays Center and Essengue will certainly be the focus.
Noa Essengue began his professional career in the 2021-22 season in the third division of the French Basketball League with Pôle France. After two years he moved to the OrangeAcademy in Ulm/Neu-Ulm, where he started with a dual license and played in the ProB. In his first season there, he was able to put up impressive statistics: over 18 games, he averaged 18.6 points and collected 8.8 rebounds per game. These achievements are also loud to him NBA.com earned the reputation of an “NBA-ready” player.
Impressive performances and tournament successes
A highlight of his career so far was taking part in the adidas Next Generation Tournament in Dubai with the U18 national team, where he not only reached the final but was also named MVP after scoring 33 points in the decisive game. Essengue also showed in the semifinals against Würzburg that he can perform under pressure by scoring a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds. These successes not only earned him respect, but also caught the attention of NBA scouts. At times he had a strong performance in games, such as in a friendly against the Portland Trailblazers, where he scored 20 points.
Despite his successes, Essengue still needs to work on his throwing, according to experts at NBADraftRoom note. His strengths lie in his athleticism, his ball handling and defensive abilities. Essengue has developed in various areas and shows a lot of potential, influenced by players like Kevin Durant, Brandon Ingram and Kawhi Leonard. He was also offered the opportunity to collect his first minutes for the French national team, where he already scored points in the game against Cyprus.
Top prospect in the international talent pool
Essengue is considered one of the best international prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft and was able to secure a spot in the top 3 with Nolan Traore and Hugo Gonzales according to the rankings. However, the superiority of international talents in previous drafts, such as Victor Wembanyama or Luka Doncic, is missing in this round. Nevertheless, Essengue is described as a versatile and athletic forward who can be very valuable in a suitable system.
With the NBA Draft in the near future and Essengue's childhood dream of landing a spot on an NBA team, this could be the start of a remarkable career for the young athlete. It remains to be seen which team we will soon see him in and whether his development can meet expectations.