It’s that time of year. The 2025 NBA Championship is up for grabs, as the league’s best teams vie for the vaunted Larry O’Brien Trophy. As for the rest of the association, players are relaxing after an arduous 82-game slate, coaches are strategizing, hoping for improvement ahead of next season, and general managers are prepping for the NBA Draft and free agency.
As a fan, if your team isn’t competing to win it all, you’re likely perusing offseason scenarios through your head. Can my team possibly acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo? Will the draft lottery go in our favor? What free agent makes the most sense to fulfill my team’s biggest need? All valid questions to ponder.
Nonetheless, it’s also fair to wonder which draft prospects are the best fit, and big boards and mock drafts are the best places to start. However, no matter the amount of digging, several players always seem to fly under the radar, especially European prospects. France’s Noa Essengue is one of these undervalued draft declarants.
Get familair with France’s Noa Essengue
The 18-year-old Frenchman is, and has been, a usual suspect in most outlets’ mock drafts. Yet, he’s kept a low profile. Most common fans have never heard of Essengue, and diehard fans have likely only come across his name in mock drafts. Namely, because the 6-foot-9 forward suits up for Germany’s Ratiopharm Ulm and isn’t even a full-time starter for the squad.
Essengue has averaged 9.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.7 blocks per game in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL), Germany’s highest level league. Ratiopharm Ulm is currently in first place in the BBL and a shoo-in to earn one of six spots in the league’s postseason, beginning May 17. Therefore, Essengue still has some time to make a name for himself ahead of June’s draft.
Still, through 27 appearances, we’ve learned much about Essengue’s game. Although standing 6-foot-9, the French forward weighs merely 194 pounds, casting some doubt over what position he’ll play in the NBA. As Danny Chau of The Ringer stated, “He has the straight-line speed and overall range of motion of a wing but the standing reach of an NBA center.”
Essengue offensive gifts hint at star upside
Fortunately, there’s a spot for tweeners in today’s NBA, especially for those who can shoot. Essengue is shooting it at only 25.4 percent from deep, yet he isn’t afraid to let it fly. He’s launched 63 three-pointers, more than half his 112 field goal attempts. On the downside, he’s only converted 16 triples—he’s far more efficient from inside the arc, converting 60.7 percent of his twos.
Essengue uses his long strides and gangly frame to attack the rim and finish above it. He scores ambidextrously in the paint and isn’t afraid of contact. The 6-foot-9 wing isn’t just willing to absorb contact, he’s oddly susceptible to drawing it. Essengue has attempted 123 free throws this season and converted them at a 67.5 percent clip. He’s only connected on one more field goal than free throw this season. Essengue’s free-throw rate (70.3) is seven percentage points better than the NBA’s leader.
Essengue’s impressive transition instincts make him an ideal fit in the Chicago Bulls’ lineup. He fills lanes extremely well as a wing, making it easier for ball handlers to find him in a transition setting. Moreover, Essengue has grab-and-go potential. The lanky forward routinely hauls in rebounds or makes steals before using his long strides to get down the court and finish emphatically at the rim. It’s almost as if he has an extra burst before attempting a lay-up or dunk.
The 18-year-old’s playmaking is a work in progress. He hasn’t displayed many dribble moves, typically only utilizing straight-line drives. However, Essengue is a connective passer and willing to look for cutters. He shouldn’t be tasked with orchestrating an offense… yet, but his short-roll passing looks immediately translatable.
The Frenchman is a rangy, switchable defender
Furthermore, a Matas Buzelis-Essengue forward duo is incredibly enticing defensively. Essengue is comfortable switching onto smaller guards and does so with grace. His feet are always moving, and he does a terrific job of getting down in a stance and flipping his hips to cut off his opponents.
Getting by Essengue is an offensive player’s best bet. At 6-foot-9 with go-go gadget arms, shooting over the Frenchman is no easy task. He averaged less than a block per game, but when watching Essengue’s tape, you’ll notice many of his rejections came against jump-shooters. He isn’t a player defenses can funnel opposing drivers to, yet he impresses as a weakside help defender.
At 18 years old, not turning 19 until December 18, Essengue is the draft’s second-youngest prospect. He’s raw, especially physically, weighing less than 200 pounds. However, Essengue offers a high-risk, high-reward ceiling. All in all, he’s a risk worth taking. His fit in Chicago is seamless. Essengue’s athletic gifts and offensive and defensive potential are awe-inspiring.
