I want to do a draft profile of my favorite prospect while it still seems likely he'll be available at 11. I think once Noa Essengue's season is finished at Ratiopharm Ulm and NBA teams bring him in for workouts, he'll skyrocket up the mock drafts. His combination of size, athleticism, age, and productivity in a professional league leads me to believe he is one of the highest upside swings in the draft.
Love at First Sight
Last year, when I saw that the Blazers were slated to play Ulm in the preseason, I was most excited to watch Ben Saraf, who was coming off an impressive MVP run at the 2024 FIBA U18 EuroBasket. I had no idea that he wasn't even the best prospect on the team until I witnessed 17 year-old Noa Essengue drop 20/8/3 with 2 steals and 3/6 from three at the Moda center that night.
Essengue definitely didn't look overmatched by NBA competition, at least as much as the preseason Blazers were able to provide. He was very fluid, unintimidated, unafraid of contact, and ran the floor hard, traits that he continues to demonstrate at the pro level in Europe.
The Measurements
This is where Essengue really shines. He hasn't been measured since last year's Basketball Without Borders combine, when he was still 17, so some of his numbers will likely change a bit, but they're pretty impressive. His standing reach is 9'3.25", which is longer than guys like Kevin Durant or Brandon Ingram, for comparison.
His lane agility, 3/4 court sprint, and vertical all measure pretty similar to Cooper Flagg. His lane agility time would've been 8th best at this year's combine. He's quicker than the rest of the prospects his size. He definitely needs to bulk up his frame, but I'm not too concerned about that considering his Dad looked like this.
He's also the 2nd youngest prospect in the draft. A whole three days older than Flagg.
Productivity
Playing 52 games for Uln in the EuroCup and BBL Germany, Essengue averaged 10.8/4.8/1.2/1.0/0.6 on 51.6/25.5/72 shooting splits while drawing 4.9 free throw attempts in 23.4 minutes a game. Keep in mind, the season is ongoing and subject to change (they don't even include this monster 22/14/1 performance from today).
Essengue needs to work on his consistency, but he seems to perform best when the stakes are higher against better competition. The preseason game against the Blazers is one example, his numbers were also up across the board in 18 EuroCup games, which is a stronger league than BBL Germany, and he saved some of his best performances for the German playoffs. I'm not ready to say he flourishes in the spotlight, but for sure he doesn't shy away from it.
Game Tape
Offensively, Essengue does most of his damage in transition, on put-backs, and from the free throw line. In EuroCup play he averaged an incredible 8.4 free throw attempts per 36. His outside shot is a work-in-progress, at best. He has good games from three here and there, but also has long stretches of games where he doesn't hit any. His handle isn't great, he doesn't get much separation as a ballhandler. He's a willing passer, if not a creative one, and he rarely turns the ball over.
On defense, he seems pretty comfortable on the perimeter or in the post, but he isn't a very good help defender or rim protector for his size. He gets a decent amount of steals. He's a pretty good rebounder and does a decent job boxing out for a skinny kid. His effort is always there. He runs the floor like a gazelle. He hustles.
This breakdown of his brilliant 5/17 playoff performance against Alba Berlin exhibits most of the good and some of the bad traits in Essengue's game. This was one of my favorite performances from him, just because it showcases how willing he is to absorb contact and draw fouls, which I think will be his bread-and-butter if he's successful in the NBA. He doesn't consistently play at this level, but games like this are why I think his upside is so high.
Who is He?
Right now, Essengue is either a wing who can't shoot or a pivot who can't protect the paint. If he improves one of those skills, he'll have a long career in the league. If he improves both, he'll be a star. Guys who draw fouls at his rate are offensive engines. Guys his size who can guard the perimeter have no defensive mismatches.
This being a Blazer blog, my lazy player comp for him is going to be LaMarcus Aldridge during the Brand Roy years. Early career LaMarcus ran the floor, hit the offensive glass hard, and was primarily a screen-setter on offense (though he did most of his damage in the pick-and-pop, whereas Essengue prefers to roll hard). Aldridge was also not known for his shot blocking or weakside help. He was rarely out of position and he was a good defender, just not a dynamic one.
Why Should We?
The Blazers are bereft of top-end talent and, in my opinion, Noa Essengue has one of the highest upsides in the draft. I think he's the exact type of prospect a rebuilding team should be looking to add to the roster. Only a half dozen guys have as much or more potential than him, which is why I think he won't be around at pick 11.
If he is, I hope the Blazers nab him.
