Cameroon’s Ulrich Chomche from NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal for top prospects from across the continent, was selected 57th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024 NBA Draft presented by State Farm, making him the first NBA Academy Africa prospect drafted to the NBA.
Chomche is the seventh player from Cameroon to be drafted, following former NBA player and BAL Head of League Operations Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (50th overall in 2001 NBA Draft), former NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute (37th overall in 2008 NBA Draft), Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (third overall in 2014 NBA Draft), Indiana Pacers’ Pascal Siakam (27th overall in 2016 NBA Draft), Christian Koloko (last played for the Toronto Raptors; 33rd overall in 2022 NBA Draft) and Yves Missi selected 21st overall by the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. This also marks the first time that two players from Cameroon were selected in the same NBA Draft.
Overview
Chomche is the youngest player eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft and barely reached the age limit as he was born Dec. 30, 2005. There’s a tiny sample size regarding his stats as he spent the 2023-24 season with the NBA Academy Africa. He only played three games for them during the Basketball Africa League qualifiers in which he averaged 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal per game while shooting 42.4% from the field, 38.1% from 3-point range and 75% from the foul line. The numbers were impressive and so was his two-way versatility, though the eye test quickly indicates he’s far more polished on the defensive end.
Analysis
Comche is an intriguing center prospect with elite upside as a two-way threat at 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. But he’s also extremely raw and needs development. He’s far more advanced on the defensive end of the court, where he projects as an elite shot blocker and rim protector due to his size, length and above-average quickness. He has very good mobility and good defensive instincts to mix up with his above-average athleticism. However, his offensive game needs a lot of work, so he’s not much of a threat outside of put-back dunks and lobs. His defensive ability is catching a lot of attention, but he needs to get better offensively to reach his full potential.
Projection
Chomche must be one of the most challenging prospects to analyze in terms of his future role at the NBA level, as he has sky-high potential but also too many areas to work on to gauge how his career might look. He needs to develop some kind of offensive game in the first two years of his career. He’s widely expected to begin his career in the G League.
Profile by RotoWire
