Cameroon’s Ulrich Chomche became the first NBA Academy Africa prospect drafted to the National Basketball Association (NBA) after he was Thursday night selected 57th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2024 NBA Draft presented by State Farm.
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In addition to being the first NBA Academy Africa prospect to be drafted, Chomche made history as the first prospect across all three of the league’s NBA Academies (located in Senegal, Mexico and Australia) to be drafted directly out of an NBA Academy.
He also became the first player to be drafted after participating in the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Chomche is the seventh Cameroonian player to be drafted, following former NBA player and BAL Head of League Operations Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (50th overall in 2001 NBA Draft), former NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute (37th overall in 2008 NBA Draft) and Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (third overall in 2014 NBA Draft).
Others include Indiana Pacers’ Pascal Siakam (27th overall in 2016 NBA Draft), Christian Koloko (last played for the Toronto Raptors; 33rd overall in 2022 NBA Draft) and Yves Missi selected 21st overall by the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
This also marks the first time that two players from Cameroon were selected in the same NBA Draft.
Chomche joined NBA Academy Africa in 2019 when he was 14 years old. The elite basketball training center is based in Saly, Senegal, and glooms top prospects from across the continent.
During his time at the academy, Chomche participated in several high-profile international competitions and showcases, including NBA Academy exhibition games at the NBA G League Showcase (2021-23), the Tarkanian Classic (2021-23), NBA Academy Games (2022-23), Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global Camp (2023) and BWB Africa (2022).
While enrolled at NBA Academy Africa, Chomche competed in the Bsketball Africa League (BAL) as part of the BAL Elevate program, representing Rwanda Energy Group (REG) in 2023 and Cameroon’s Forces Armées et Police (FAP) in 2022.
He played for Cameroon’s national team in the 2023 FIBA Olympic pre-qualifying tournament and represented the World Team at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon in April.