2025 NBA Draft: Noa Essengue Scouting Report

Evaluating the France and Ratiopharm Ulm prospect ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.

DRAFT EVALUATION: Top 10

LAST BIG BOARD: No. 13

NBA ROLE: Two-way, athletic connector

REMINDS ME OF: Chet Holmgren as a wing, the idea of Peyton Watson, less unorthodox Leonard Miller

RAW STATS: 11.1 PTS, 5.1 REB (1.5o/3.6d), 1.2 AST to 1.1 TOV, 0.9 STL, 0.6 BLK, 2.7 PF in 23.3 MINS over 55 GAMES

ADVANCED STATS: 1283 TOTAL MINUTES, 19.6 USG%, 62.3 TS%, 63.5 2P%, 0.7 FTA/FGA, 8.3 OREB%, 20.3 DREB%, 14.3 REB%, 1.1 A/TO, 8.5 AST%, 11.2 TOV%, 2.1 STL%, 2.7 BLK%

Background:

• Birthday: Dec. 18, 2006

• Height: 6-foot-10¹ barefoot

• Wingspan: 7-foot-0¾

• Weight: 205 pounds (93 kg)²

• Standing reach: 9-foot-1¾

• Older brother is Matis Essengue. Mother is Ingrid, who was a math teacher and will be accompanying him to the U.S. as a rookie. Didn’t live with father growing up.

• Practiced judo for five years, then played tennis growing up, following after his brother. Joined the ABC Saint-Jean-de-Braye basketball club at 11/12 years old. After that, played for Orléans Loiret Basket. Later, joined INSEP for two years.

• Joined Ratiopharm Ulm over interest from teams abroad like Valencia and the G League Ignite, local clubs like ASVEL or Élan Chalon, and NCAA schools like Duke, UCLA, and BYU. Started playing for Ulm’s youth team in the third division to acclimate.

• Has played for France's U-16, U-18, and senior teams. Will be a part of his national team’s next Olympic cycle.

  • Most recently at 2024 U-18 Euros, averaged 17.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists to 2.3 turnovers, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks on 57.5/8.3/69.1 splits.

  • Also previously played at 2023 U-18 Euros and 2022 U-16 Euros.

• Goal is to be a top 10 pick. Working with a mental coach who has worked with NBA teams before and helps prep him for pre-draft questions.

• Designed his own tattoo on his left arm. Likes to sketch/draw. Anime fan. Grew up as a Paul George fan.

Takeaway:

Noa Essengue intrigues me with his all-around flashes, positional versatility, functional fluidity, and two-way event creation — all while being the second-youngest player in the draft and improving+producing against professional competition. I’ve had Essengue in my lottery range all season, and he’s currently in my top 10.

In a high-end outcome, Essengue projects as a 4 who can slide up to the 3 or down to the small-ball 5 thanks to his connectivity, athleticism, decision-making, and scalability in most contexts. This would probably be the second/third best player on a deep playoff team. The Frenchman’s three-pointer and overall half-court scoring needs to keep improving; however, I actually consider Essengue to have a relatively high offensive floor thanks to his off-ball activity. He is very high feel and productive without getting plays called for him.

A crucial part of Essengue’s draft profile is his developmental trajectory. He only started playing around the age of 12 and was in the German third division about a season ago. Developing at Ulm, a relatively pressure-free environment compared to a lot of his peers, has allowed Essengue to develop his dribble/pass/shoot skills. His three-pointer keeps improving, he’s increasingly comfortable attacking closeouts, and he constantly offers fun (albeit experimental) moments as a ballhandler and playmaker.

A median scenario sees Essengue as a defense-first wing/forward with length, pop, and streaky flashes on offense, but taking time to piece everything together. That might limit Essengue’s contributions to his second contract, but he’s very young. Overall, though, patience will likely be needed.

A worst-case outcome would see Essengue caught between positions defensively, not improving as a half-court scorer, and not hitting enough open threes to truly stay on the floor. He might still see spot minutes or broadly get on the court due to roster makeup, but while operating with important limitations. That kind of outcome would put him closer to a Peyton Watson or a Leonard Miller, although I was high on both.

Offense:

• Draws a ton of free throws. Consistent throughout his entire career. Getting to the line so often helps him stay in a weird, unlikely offensive rhythm despite not being a self-creator.

  • So far this season, has 197 made free throws vs. 190 made field goals.

    • 2023-24: 182 FTM to 221 FGM

    • 2024 U18 Euros: 38 FTM to 42 FGM

    • 2023 U18 Euros: 15 FTM to 29 FGM

  • Initiates contact. Finds angles to draw the foul. Plays with physicality despite usually being the more slender player. This bodes well as he keeps getting stronger and filling out his wiry frame.

  • Sometimes seems a bit too focused on getting fouled. Might contort body into unnatural position or take on a weird angle. Not worrying, but worth thinking about — especially if NBA continues to call less fouls in the playoffs.

  • Still skinny despite being very physical. Can’t always finish against stronger, older defenders. Can get rushed.

• Stays active and engaged off-ball. Fills in the gaps with his awesome motor. Manufactures space despite being a shaky shooter.

  • Dunks the ball. Leverages his vertical explosiveness. Doesn’t mess around. Safe floor as catch-and-finish forward in the dunker spot. Catches and goes up to finish in one fluid, twitchy motion.

  • Fluid mover. Gets into crevices with his length and explosiveness.

  • Cuts from the corners and wings. Times his cuts smartly. Gets fed by the pick-and-roll ballhandler or the short roll playmaker.

  • Can act as a roller if he plays more like a big. Leverages athleticism in empty-side ballscreens. Adept body control. Safe hands.

• Developments to dribble/pass/shoot game are apparent with his Spot-Ups. Much more comfortable off the catch this season compared to past years.

  • Volume and willingness from three is encouraging, but NBA teams will likely be happy to let him shoot at first. Will need to prove he can make defenses pay.

  • 26.7 3P% this season (32/120) needs to climb into the low 30s fairly quickly. Figure dips to 24.7 3P% (21/85) in the German league. 72.2 FT% (197/273) is solid.

    • 2023-24 season: 58.7 FT% (182/310) … 25.4 3P% (35/138 … 2.8 3PA, including 4.2 3PA in German Pro B)

    • 2024 U18 Euros: 69.1 FT% (38/55) … 8.3 3P% (1/12 … 1.7 3PA)

    • 2023 U18 Euros: 75 FT% (15/20) … 20 3P% (1/5 … 0.7 3PA)

  • Context at Ulm is relatively experimental, which is worth keeping in mind. Has the freedom to try things and make mistakes. Probably wouldn’t get afforded the same liberty in college or other European clubs. NBA role might get narrowed down, although depends on team fit.

    • He previously said: “This year, at the start of the season, I was a bit more of a 4, and now I'm starting to take pick-and-roll, [one-on-one]. We're developing my dribbling and decision-making.”

  • Can he pick-and-pop more often? Will have to convert more threes. Right now, can ghost the screen, catch, and go. Would be good to become a dual offensive threat after setting a screen.

  • Attacks closeouts effectively with 1-2 dribbles. Physical once he’s in the paint. Can drive in a straight line and finish above the rim.

  • Handle and finishing still need more polish. Can get rushed in traffic or bothered in tight spaces.

• Under-control decision maker. Posting a 1.1 A/TO, which is very positive for an 18-year-old pro (started the season at 17) getting a lot of minutes in Europe.

  • Functional short-roll passer. Makes quick decisions. Even throws in some flash sometimes. Scans the floor well to find cutters or corner threes.

  • Makes NBA reads as a connective facilitator. Made reactive, accurate reads out of the most. Took what was there.

  • Pieces things together in transition. Rapid with his hit-ahead passes. A few interesting outlets. Ball doesn’t stick to his hands.

  • Doesn’t make many unforced errors. Reads are generally safe or correct.

  • Accuracy with passing and body can keep improving. Doesn’t always toss the pass exactly into the window. Might lack a bit of strength. Can pick up some charges or fouls on screens.

  • Turnovers have more to do with handle than passing reads. Can’t separate against his man in the half-court fairly often.

    • So far this season, 66 assists to 62 turnovers with a 8.5 AST% (low) and a 11.2 TOV% (also low).

• Struggles to create advantages against set defenses. Can find it hard to score in the half-court.

  • Most of his scoring is centered around finishing plays. Will move, catch, and finish. Hit a spot-up three. Run out in transition. Crash the glass.

  • Self-creation is very limited, but there have been some flashes. Half-court drives are the most interesting, but most of these come off the catch right now — not off the dribble. Some full court moments.

  • Needs to improve at punishing mismatches on the inside. Might come as he gets stronger. Doesn’t always punish switches in the post. Lacks strength and moves on the block.

  • Glimpses of a turnaround two in the post. Would let him shoot over smaller defenders. Displays touch and developing shot.

  • Doesn’t have a pull-up. Lacks the balance. Probably doesn’t need one.

Defense:

• High floor and ceiling on defense. 4-man who moves like a 2 or a 3. Super fluid and rangy.

  • Projects to be extremely switchable across guards, wings, forwards, and (if he gets stronger) bigs. Previously said that his biggest asset was guarding 1-through-5.

  • Role at Ulm is free/experimental. Used on all sorts of different players and spots. Like on offense, has a lot more freedom than many of his draft counterparts.

  • Active and disruptive. Has been used to good effect this season at the point of attack, roaming around the floor, helping at the basket, or even as more of a traditional center. Has 83 stocks in 55 games this season with a 2.1 STL% and a 2.7 BLK%.

    • Advanced rates aren’t super high if compared to NCAA, but they’re relatively solid for a 17/18-y/o forward in Europe.

• Covers a lot of ground thanks to his awesome physical tools. Great mover. Played tennis growing up.

  • Length and quick twitch result in stops. Jumps the passing lanes. Shrinks the floor. Provides useful nail help. Gets stops in the paint.

  • Fast first jump with the subsequent ability to repeat efforts. Functional athlete with a massive standing reach.

• Combines measurements with technique. Top footwork. Learns game-to-game. Doesn’t shy away from new challenges.

  • Great helper on drives. His best position is the 4, in my opinion.

  • Gets low to the floor. Chases smaller ballhandlers around. Keeps them in front. Ulm feels fine having him defend shorter players.

  • Can be slightly too aggressive sometimes. Part of it seems to be the Ulm setting.

  • Times blocks and contests well. Doesn’t just swat around with his length. Intentional. Has blocked jumpers and spot-ups.

  • Reads the pick-and-roll ahead of time. Snuffs out cuts and reads passes.

  • Sometimes needs to leave more space between him and the ballhandler. Has enough recovery tools to use. If he gets too close, can give up the blow-by.

• Frame needs to keep filling out. Plays tough, but lacks strength. Most important to get some reps at the 5 down the line, but strength is vital in the NBA as a whole.

  • Is already focused on getting stronger: “Guys like KD, Brandon Ingram... they can do it all: defend, dribble, shoot. It makes you think, if they can do it at this size, why can't I? They're not very big, but they take the contact.”

• Best role in the pick-and-roll is helping. Smart about knowing when to leave his man to disrupt on rolls and drives.

  • Gets stocks inside the paint.

  • Breaks up lobs, pocket passes, etc.

1. Source

2. Source: L’Equipe