Lenny Talks Sports

Tag: boston-celtics

  • French Revolution: Can Noa Essengue be the Next French Star in the NBA?

    Projected Lottery Pick Frenchman Noa Essengue Gains Major Ground, Having The Best Game Of His Season In the German BBL Playoffs. - NewsBreak

    After having the first overall pick in the last two drafts, and the first two picks in last year’s draft, the French basketball factory has not stopped churning out future NBA players. This year’s draft is no different; while the number one pick will not be French, don’t be surprised to see three French players go in the first round, with Noa Essengue being the most intriguing prospect of them all.

    Essengue’s breakout performance, which caught the attention of many NBA scouts, came in an October preseason game when his Ratiopharm Ulm team faced off against the Portland Trail Blazers. In this game, Essengue at just 17 years of age, scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds against the Blazers. A very strong performance by Essengue caught the attention of many NBA scouts as a player to watch for the upcoming season.

    Essengue, just 18 years old, is one of the most fascinating prospects in June’s NBA draft. Measuring in at 6’10” barefoot, with a 6’11” wingspan, and a 9’3″ standing reach, Essengue has the height, length, and all the tools in his game to be a future NBA star, but will he put everything together in his transition from Basketball Bundesliga to the NBA is the question.

    In Germany, Essengue has put together a great season for an 18-year-old averaging 12.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 23.7 minutes a night. Essengue has done this with a 64.6% true shooting and has done a lot of work by getting to the free throw line. Essengue has one of the highest free throw attempt rates for a prospect at 80%, which shows his aggressiveness and will to get to the rim and draw contact. While still being a very raw and slender prospect, Essengue has shown many strengths in his game his athleticism and ability to finish in transition may be his greatest strength. Going through his film, Essengue flashes as a threat in transition every time, whether it’s cutting to the rim, or gathering the ball on the outside before driving past his man to get to the basket. With a quick first step for someone his size, Essengue can consistently blow by big men on the perimeter to create easy finishes at the rim. Essengue’s athleticism also flashes on the defensive end of the court which will be valuable in the NBA. His ability to stay in front of his man off of switches, his defensive versatility, as well as his shot-blocking ability show on film.

    Just like all other prospects, Essengue does have downsides to his game. The most glaring flaw in his game is his three-point shooting. On the season, Essengue has shot just 29.4% from three and Tankathon projects his NBA three-point percentage to be 33.5%. But, in the game in October against the Blazers, Essengue did hit three three-pointers showing potential for improved shooting. The other flaw in Essengue’s game is his slender build; he jumps off the screen before the ball tips due to how skinny he looks. While we have seen players like Chet Holmgren be successful with a slender build, Essengue will have to add some muscle in order to withstand the physicality of an 82-game NBA season.

    At just 18 years old, Essengue will be one of the youngest players in the NBA draft and possesses some of the highest potential out of anyone. While not being a finished product, whatever team drafts Essengue will commit to the process of Essengue’s upside. While it may take a couple of years for his potential to come to fruition, with the proper development Noa Essengue could be the steal of the 2025 NBA draft.

  • Jonathan Kuminga: A Fresh Start with the Nets?

    Jonathan Kuminga now says he would love to be Warrior 'For life' - NBC Sports

    After a rocky season with inconsistent playing time in Golden State, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga will not be returning to the team next season. One of the potential teams that has emerged as a candidate for Kuminga is the Brooklyn Nets, a rebuilding team looking to build its franchise around a young star, and Kuminga could be that player.

    At just 22 years old, Kuminga is entering free agency for the first time as a restricted free agent, meaning that any offer accepted by Kuminga from another team has the opportunity to be matched by the Warriors if they want to keep Kuminga. This is where Brooklyn comes into the mix; the Nets have upwards of $50 million in cap space and can offer Kuminga a contract in the $30 million range if they want. Golden State most likely wouldn’t match this deal, allowing the Nets to sign Kuminga without having to give up any assets in a trade. But how does Kuminga fit into the Nets’ lineup?

    The Nets need a young star to build their roster around and will look to this year’s draft and free agency to acquire that piece; with four first-round picks and well as Cam Johnson to use as a trade piece, expect the Nets to make some big moves on draft night. This could mean acquiring another top-ten pick in a trade package including Johnson and a couple of picks. With Johnson’s departure, a hole at the starting small forward spot would open, and Jonathan Kuminga could fill that role.

    Kuminga came out of G-League Ignite as a top prospect in the 2021 draft where the Warriors drafted him with the 7th overall pick; his 6-7 frame, as well as his freakish athleticism, made Kuminga a can’t miss prospect. But inconsistent playing time, injuries, and a potential rift with head coach Steve Kerr led to a disappointing start to his career. With a cross-country move to Brooklyn, a fresh start is provided for Kuminga who played great in the minutes he was given when he was given them. Kuminga’s stats won’t jump off the page from this past season averaging 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in 24.3 minutes a night.

    But where we saw Kuminga show his potential was in the Western Conference Semifinals following Stephen Curry’s injury in Game One. While the rest of the team struggled, Kuminga took advantage of his opportunity and averaged 20.8 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 54% field goal percentage from the field and 42% from three in just 27 minutes a night. The scoring potential that Kuminga had shown in flashes this year with multiple 30-point games, had finally been shown in a consistent stretch filling in for the Warrior’s best player. Kuminga scored in a variety of ways with monstrous dunks, tough drives to the basket, and knockdown three-point shooting; while he’s not the best playmaker, he doesn’t have to be if put in the right system.

    If Brooklyn can draft a point guard such as Jeremiah Fears or Dylan Harper, Kuminga would not have to be the catalyst of the offense and can instead work off of Fears/Harper and Cam Thomas to create for Brooklyn’s offense. The addition of Kuminga would also generate some buzz for Nets fans after a season of disappointing basketball with one of the league’s worst rosters.

    Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, who did a fantastic job in his first season with such limited talent, has continuously talked about wanting to establish a culture and identity in Brooklyn; and with the additions they could make in the draft as well as adding a player like Kuminga the Nets could be on their way to doing just that.