Featured Columnist IVJune 27, 2024
Cameron Browne/NBAE via Getty Images
After showcasing his defensive ability and offensive potential in the Basketball Africa League, Cameroonian big man Ulrich Chomche went No. 57 overall to the Toronto Raptors (following a trade) in the 2024 NBA draft on Thursday.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman’s Scouting Report
Player: Ulrich Chomche
Position: C
Height: 6’11”
Pro Comparison: Serge Ibaka
Scouting Report: Chomche earned a spot on NBA watch lists at the G League Showcase with his outstanding physical tools, clear defensive appealing and flashes of shooting range, ball-handling and passing. Coming from NBA Global Academy, there is just some uncertainty about his NBA-readiness, but he’ll be appealing to more patient teams willing to take on high-upside, longer-term projects.
Jonathan Mogbo, F: TBD
Jamal Shead, PG: TBD
Ulrich Chomche, C: TBD
R.J. Barrett, SG: $25.8M (2027)
Jakob Poeltl, C: $19.5M (2027)
Kelly Olynyk, PF: $12.8M (2026)
Chris Boucher, PF: $10.8M (2025)
Scottie Barnes, PF: $10.1M (2025)
Sasha Vezenkov, SF: $6.7M (2026)
Davion Mitchell, PG: $6.4M (2025)
Gradey Dick, SG: $4.8M (2027)
Ochai Agbaji, SF: $4.3M (2026)
Javon Freeman-Liberty, G: $1.9M (2025)
D.J. Carton, PG: Two-way (2025)
Mouhamadou Gueye, F: Two-way (2025)
Given that Chomche has played the bulk of his basketball in Africa rather in the college ranks or in better-known overseas leagues in Europe, he is a true wild card in the 2024 NBA draft.
Chomche did have a chance to highlight his skill set on a bigger stage, including the 2023 World Cup qualifiers, the Nike Hoop Summit and the NBA Draft Combine.
Playing against other highly touted players of his age at the Nike Hoop Summit, Chomche led all players with three blocks in the game for Team World, per ESPN’s Leonard Solms.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman compares Chomche to Serge Ibaka, who was a one-time NBA champion, three-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection and two-time NBA blocks leader after the then-Seattle SuperSonics selected him in the first round of the 2008 NBA draft.
Like Chomche, Ibaka started off his playing career in Africa, and if Chomche has a career that resembles Ibaka’s, he will have been an enormous success.
