There are plenty of high-level defenders across multiple positions in this year’s draft. One player, in particular, stands out as one of the best overall defenders in the draft. Not only that, but he is also one of the top international prospects. That player is Le Mans Sarthe forward Noah Penda, a French wing playing professionally in Europe. Considering his abilities as a versatile wing defender, there will be teams interested in drafting the 6-foot-6 wing. Let’s dive into an evaluation of Penda’s overall game in this 2025 NBA Draft profile.
Noah Penda 2025 NBA Draft Profile
International Career
As a player, Penda currently plays for Le Mans Sarthe Basket after initially playing for JA Vichy-Clermont in a lower French league. He plays significant minutes with the club, averaging 26.9 minutes and playing in 29 games. Additionally, Penda averaged 10.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this season. Also, Penda shot 44.0% from the field, 30.4% from three, and 69.3% from the free throw line. Penda has the distinction of representing France in multiple FIBA men’s youth events, having most recently played in the 2024 U20 EuroBasket tournament. Notably, Penda helped contribute to France winning the aforementioned tournament.
Strengths
Penda’s main calling card as a player is on defense. Standing at 6-foot-6, Penda is a versatile multi-positional defender who operates well in many different defensive roles. He has the size and strength necessary to hang with NBA-level talent. That NBA-ready frame allows him to be a switchable defender, especially guarding up the lineup. He is certainly capable of guarding on and off the ball. His basketball IQ and feel for the game reveal themselves in his instinct to be a defensive roamer off-ball. He will make the extra effort to be a weak-side help defender and knows where to rotate in the half-court. Additionally, Penda uses his length well on defense, constantly putting pressure on passing lanes. Steals and deflections are common with Penda. Simply put, Penda knows exactly where he needs to be on defense and has the skills to negatively impact opposing offenses.
Offensively, Penda has shown himself to be a solid finisher at the rim with good cutting instincts. He loves using his size and strength to bully through contact when going to the basket. Furthermore, his size allows him to exploit mismatches when they present themselves to him. Penda is also a solid connective passer who can make good playmaking reads. He can typically find open teammates in both the half-court and transition.
Weaknesses
Penda has many clear weaknesses in his offensive game that he needs to address. Firstly, Penda isn’t a consistent scoring threat, especially as a shooter. His shooting form will need fixing as his release is slow. While he has shown flashes of three-point shooting, his ability as a floor-spacer is far from realized. He struggles from the free-throw line as well. Secondly, Penda isn’t someone who can create their own shot, relying on others to create good looks for him. Whenever he is handling the ball, there is always a risk of him turning the ball over. On defense, Penda can have issues with defending quicker guards on the ball. He can also be caught in bad positions when overhelping as a weakside defender.
NBA Comparison
Penda shares many similarities with fellow French wing and current Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum. Both are defensive wings who can guard multiple positions at a high level. They both have excellent basketball IQ and feel for the game. Plus, the two of them have the passing instincts to keep the ball moving on offense. If Penda develops into a shooter like Batum, the comparison will only be stronger.
2025 NBA Draft Projection
Featured image: © David Banks-Imagn Images
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