Potential Nets 2025 NBA Draft pick Noa Essengue discusses leaving team
NEW YORK -- The Brooklyn Nets are running out of time when it comes to deciding who they will be taking in the 2025 NBA Draft that begins on Wednesday. Brooklyn has been projected by most outlets to take French forward Noa Essengue with the eighth overall pick in the Draft, but the pre-draft process also gave him a chance to explain what's going on.
"It wasn't easy saying goodbye to all your friends at home, and specifically Ben Saraf," Essengue said to reporters on Tuesday as part of the pre-draft media availability that the NBA conducts every year. Heading into the Draft, there was a report from Donatas Urbonas of Basketnews that Essengue left his professional team, Ratiopharm Ulm of the BBL, that is still in the league Finals so that he could be part of the predraft process.
"I mean, you know, that's always hard," Essengue continued while speaking about his decision to attend the Draft instead of continuing to play with Ratiopharm Ulm. "In one case, you can play the playoff final in your life, but you know, the drafts like really something special in your life for a basketball player. That's maybe gonna be like my best day of my life... That's my choice, and I know I trust my teammates. I know they can do the job."
Essengue, 18, has helped his draft stock tremendously over the past couple of months with the way that he's played for Ratiopharm Ulm as the team is looking to win the German League Finals. While Essengue could have stayed to help the team win like his teammate Ben Saraf, who is projected to be a first-round pick, the 6-foot-10 forward decided to take in what's left of the NBA predraft process.
"Yeah. I mean, we got a good impression," Essengue said when asked what his conversations with Brooklyn have been like given that he wasn't able to work out for any teams. "That was pretty cool, you know? Good feeling, nice people on the team. Nice people around me. So, that was pretty cool." Essengue could very well be wearing a Nets hat by the time the first round comes around on Wednesday.
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