The prized French forward spoke after capturing MVP honors at ANGT Dubai over the weekend
Noa Essengue shining as latest European talent to develop game with Ulm
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Noa Essengue was a massive reason why U18 ratiopharm Ulm took first place at the Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament Dubai and became the first German club to win an ANGT qualifier. But it was Ulm’s past work that helped convince the star talent to leave France and head to the city in South Germany last summer.
Essengue took home Most Valuable Player honors in Dubai after an otherworldly performance in Ulm’s thrilling 89-84 overtime win over U18 Zalgiris Kaunas in the first-place game. The 2.05-meter forward collected 33 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks plus 16 fouls drawn for a PIR of 54 in 40:02 minutes.
“I’m so tired but I am so happy. The team played a great game today. Winning this tournament is an amazing thing. Everybody thought we would lose against ASVEL or Zalgiris and we came here and won this game. I am so happy but so tired,” Essengue said after the game.
For the tournament, Essengue averaged 20.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.5 steals, 2.2 blocks and 8.5 fouls drawn for an average PIR of 29.8. He was the top scorer of the tournament, number one in PIR and top in fouls drawn. Essengue was also second in rebounds and steals and third in blocks.
“This is how these stars are made: when everything is on the line and they get into the zone if they have the stomach for it. And he stepped up big time,” said Ulm coach Baldur Ragnarsson. “Offensively and defensively he can do anything he wants.”
Essengue has taken a major step in his all-around game since the ANGT world last saw him, when he averaged 13.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals at the 2023 ANGT Belgrade for U18 PFBB INSEP Paris. PFBB also allowed him to play at the 2022 ANGT Finals in Belgrade for ASVEL - at age 15. And Essengue used that experience in Dubai.
“I think in this team I’m one of the leaders and that is great because everybody trusts me. And now I can help them on the court,” he said.
Essengue made big headlines this past summer when he chose Ulm for the next step in his development over offers from other places including ASVEL.
“I think the main factor of my decision when I visited Ulm last year was the project. I liked everything: the staff, the individual training, the medical staff, everything,” Essengue said.
There was also a growing track record Ulm had been building in recent years of bringing in top European talents. French star talent Killian Hayes was the first major addition from outside the country in 2019 and then Fedor Zugic of Montenegro followed as did another French prospect in Pacome Dadiet and Spanish playmaking master Juan Nunez.
“I think the club gets a lot of talents because it is not afraid to send young players to the court,” Essengue said. “Ulm also has a really nice individual trainer who helps a lot to improve your skills.”
Essengue, who will not turn 18 until mid-December 2024, has already played in nine German League games this season - averaging 3.0 points and 0.4 rebounds in 4.4 minutes. And he appeared in seven games in the BKT EuroCup, tallying 2.7 points and 1.7 rebounds in 5:57 minutes per game.
“The biggest lesson I learned from the EuroCup is just that everybody can beat everyone if you don’t play at 100%,” said Essengue, who collected 10 points and 3 rebounds in his first EuroCup game against Dolomiti Energia Trento in Round 1 - when he was still just 16 years old.
Essengue, who practices almost exclusively with the pro team but plays for Ulm’s second team in Germany’s third division, has really enjoyed having the aforementioned Dadiet around. The 18-year-old Dadiet was also a major talent in France, growing up with ASVEL and then playing for Paris Basketball before joining Ulm in January 2023.
“Today Pacome is more of a friend than a teammate for me because he helps me a lot,” Essengue said. “He has a lot of experiences similar to mine - like last year he went to the Basketball Without Borders Global camp and he gave me crucial advice before I left (for this winter’s BWB Global camp). And he does not hesitate to tell me when I do something bad or when I do something good. So, I think he helped me a lot to progress.”
The improvement of Essengue and the exposure that his dynamic game brings - plus the success of Ulm with the young French star - could very well mean more top-level players decide on the German club. Just like how it worked to bring in Essengue.