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The Los Angeles Clippers traded on draft night for France’s Narcisse Ngoy, but he doesn’t plan on immediately entering the NBA.
Ngoy will turn 22 years old before the end of the draft year, which means he was automatically included in the pool for this season’s draft. The 7-foot-tall center is committed to Auburn, and announced he is going to choose college over the NBA—at least for next season.
“I am thankful for the LA Clippers’ confidence in me,” Ngoy posted on his Instagram story. “I fully intend to honor my commitment to Auburn University, and I am looking forward to wearing the Auburn Tigers jersey for the 2026-27 season.”
The Clippers still own Ngoy’s draft rights, meaning he will be on the Clippers whenever he chooses to set his sights on the professional scene. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo noted this is “effectively the first draft-and-stash selection” in NBA history, and could set an interesting precedent.
Ngoy won the MVP award of the Elite 2 League with Poitiers in France, and had quite the season in Europe. He finished the season averaging just short of a double-double, posting 9.9 points and 11.8 rebounds a game, and also showed his defensive prowess with 2.6 blocks per game. Poitiers ultimately lost In the championship series to Pau-Orthez.
Mar 16, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; The LA Clippers logo at midcourt at the Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Clippers had the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, narrowly keeping the Top 4 protected pick from the Indiana Pacers. With their pick in a stacked class, they selected Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Wagler was the top scorer on an Illinois team which reached the Final Four this season, and has the potential to be one of the top players in the league.
After their sole first-round selection, the Clippers clearly looked to add some size to their ranks. They picked 6-foot-11 Baba Miller from Cincinnati with the No. 36 pick in addition to acquiring Ngoy’s rights from the Hawks after trading 7-footer Henri Veesaar.
The Clippers are coming off of a 42-40 season, which left them just short of the NBA playoffs after a play-in tournament loss. They’ll hope their selections in the draft can give them a solid foundation so they can compete by the time Ngoy is ready to come to the NBA.
The post Clippers Overseas Draft Pick Plans to Attend College appeared first on LA Sports Report.
Continue reading...
Ngoy will turn 22 years old before the end of the draft year, which means he was automatically included in the pool for this season’s draft. The 7-foot-tall center is committed to Auburn, and announced he is going to choose college over the NBA—at least for next season.
“I am thankful for the LA Clippers’ confidence in me,” Ngoy posted on his Instagram story. “I fully intend to honor my commitment to Auburn University, and I am looking forward to wearing the Auburn Tigers jersey for the 2026-27 season.”
The Clippers still own Ngoy’s draft rights, meaning he will be on the Clippers whenever he chooses to set his sights on the professional scene. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo noted this is “effectively the first draft-and-stash selection” in NBA history, and could set an interesting precedent.
Ngoy won the MVP award of the Elite 2 League with Poitiers in France, and had quite the season in Europe. He finished the season averaging just short of a double-double, posting 9.9 points and 11.8 rebounds a game, and also showed his defensive prowess with 2.6 blocks per game. Poitiers ultimately lost In the championship series to Pau-Orthez.
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Mar 16, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; The LA Clippers logo at midcourt at the Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Who Else Did the Clippers Take in the Draft?
The Clippers had the No. 5 overall pick in the draft, narrowly keeping the Top 4 protected pick from the Indiana Pacers. With their pick in a stacked class, they selected Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. Wagler was the top scorer on an Illinois team which reached the Final Four this season, and has the potential to be one of the top players in the league.
After their sole first-round selection, the Clippers clearly looked to add some size to their ranks. They picked 6-foot-11 Baba Miller from Cincinnati with the No. 36 pick in addition to acquiring Ngoy’s rights from the Hawks after trading 7-footer Henri Veesaar.
The Clippers are coming off of a 42-40 season, which left them just short of the NBA playoffs after a play-in tournament loss. They’ll hope their selections in the draft can give them a solid foundation so they can compete by the time Ngoy is ready to come to the NBA.
The post Clippers Overseas Draft Pick Plans to Attend College appeared first on LA Sports Report.
Continue reading...
