Noa Essengue

Essengue is a French forward who entered the NBA as a lottery pick in 2025 after developing through the French and German club systems. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he showed promise as a versatile wing before a shoulder injury ended his rookie season prematurely.

Born on December 18, 2006, in Orleans, France, Essengue played for the youth department of Orleans Loiret Basket as a child. He began his professional career with Centre Federal de Basket-ball, a team affiliated with INSEP, in Nationale Masculine 1 (NM1), the French third tier.

On July 21, 2023, Essengue signed with Ratiopharm Ulm of the German Basketball Bundesliga. He spent most of his first season assigned to OrangeAcademy, Ulm's developmental team. In the 2024-25 season, playing under coach Ty Harrelson, he became a key contributor for Ulm, according to FIBA.

On June 26, 2025, the Chicago Bulls selected Essengue with the 12th overall pick in the NBA draft. However, on December 3, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. In his brief NBA action, he totaled just over six minutes, going 0-for-3 from the floor. In four games with the G League Windy City Bulls, he averaged 23 points and 8.5 rebounds in 30.8 minutes.

Essengue is a versatile forward with size, shooting potential, and defensive mobility. His game is built on transition scoring, attacking closeouts, and making hustle plays. His development focus centers on recovering from injury, refining his offensive game, and adapting to NBA physicality.