Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif

Only a few hours remain until the 2025 draft! While, unlike the last two years, the first pick is unlikely to go to a French player, basketball players from France will once again be in the spotlight on Thursday evening. Nolan Traoré and Noa Essengue, in particular, should be able to earn a spot in the Top 15.

The latter saw his stock rise ahead of the draft thanks to his athleticism, but it remains to be seen which franchise will want to bet on him. However, the latest news about him is not unanimous across the Atlantic. While his club, Radiopharm Ulm, is fighting for the German championship title, he has chosen to leave his teammates:

NBA Draft prospect Noa Essengue will miss the remainder of the German league finals to attend the NBA Draft ceremony, per BasketNews sources. (…) Due to the extended German league season, Essengue was unable to participate in private workouts with NBA teams. However, he remains a projected lottery pick, praised for his length, mobility, and defensive versatility, while also showing offensive efficiency this season. Meanwhile, fellow draft prospect Ben Saraf has remained with the team during the finals.

The news is all the more controversial as Ulm is forced to play a final match after losing to Bayern last night. Questioned ahead of the big night, Essengue defended himself:

The draft is really special, that’s maybe the best day of my life. I trust my teammates, I know they’ll do their job.

An explanation that, however, struggles to convince many people, whether among journalists or fans elsewhere who express their profound disagreement:

: Leaving your teammates and coaches and fans in the middle of the Finals to walk across a stage and shake Adam Silver’s hand is not something I’d prefer my first round pick to do.

: No thank you! Any guy that would leave his team in the finals to go walk across a stage can’t be that serious about winning

: That’s a bad look. He has to be the best or one of the best on the team. Imagine Cooper Flagg taking off the final four cause he’s got a draft to attend. Yikes.