Ulrich Chomche had never left Bafang, the remote village in the Western region of Cameroon that he called home. He was 13 years old and had just discovered basketball. By his own admission, he wasn't pretty at all. Not yet. But he was 6-7 and suddenly faced with an opportunity to take his game to the next level—to use his full potential. Only he would have to leave Bafang and travel thousands of kilometers to do it.
The NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal, was founded in 2017, about a year before one of its coaches, Joe Touomou, began recruiting Chomche. At first the answer was no. Chomche's parents were reluctant to let him play basketball, so this was out of the question. “My parents didn't want me to do other things outside of school because my family values education a lot,” Chomche told SLAM. In order to join the local team, he made a deal with them: Chomche can play, but if his grades suffer at all, he will have to stop.
So far, Chomche has not slipped. But this was a very big question. Basketball was new to the Chomche family. None of Ulrich's 16 siblings played, instead gravitating towards soccer, the most popular sport in Cameroon. Ulrich grew up on the family farm—not dreaming of a future in the NBA.
Rejected at first, Touomou returned to Cameroon to meet Chomche's parents again. He pointed out how much the Academy could benefit Ulrich, both on and off the court. Not only would he work with top coaches to improve as a basketball player—he would also receive a top-notch education and have the opportunity to travel the world with his new classmates. This time, Touomou was able to convince them.
Not long after, the child from Bafang arrived at the attractive campus in Saly. Everything had changed in an instant. Chomche was shy, quiet and surrounded by strangers, many of whom were difficult to communicate with. Lessons were taught in English—a language the French-speaking Chomche did not know. He was named with the teacher, while he used to practice a new type of basketball. With his size and intelligence, Chomche had the tools to become a great ruling man. But he was still learning the basics of the game.
“When Ulrich arrived, he didn't know basketball,” said Franck Traore, Head of Basketball Operations for NBA Africa. “He could move [well], we tested him properly, and the coaching staff at Memorial obviously worked with him every day. We believed in him.”
Chomche's team back in Bafang practiced several times a week; at the Academy, he practiced many times a day. He has been coached by experienced basketball minds like Touomou, who played four seasons at Georgetown University (1995-99), served as an international scout for the Indiana Pacers and is a longtime camp director at Basketball Without Borders Africa (where he coached NBA star Joel Embiid .and Pascal Siakam).
“What exactly [made Chomche] Traveling was a teaching episode,” explained Traore. “He needed that. As soon as we got that, his mind changed. He believed in himself—that he could do it. And his game is over. “
From the beginning, Chomche showed a great work ethic. His current schedule at the Academy sees him report to the gym around 5:30 a.m. every day for individual workouts, followed by group workouts and an hour of weightlifting—all before morning classes begin at 10:00 a.m. For a while, Chomche also attended night classes (after the second team's practice from 5:30-7:30 pm) so that he could pass quickly (which he did).
“What I like about the Academy is that it not only teaches you how to play basketball, but it also teaches you how to be a man,” said Chomche.
Every time he took over—whether it was in training, a global exhibition game, the Basketball Africa League, or a leading scouting event—Chomche looked more lost and more confident. A little clumsy and very polished. In the past five years, he has grown from a complete superstar to one of the most promising prospects in the world.
Last week, Chomche, who stands 6-11 with a 7-4 wingspan, officially entered his name in the 2024 NBA Draft. He is expected to be the first NBA Academy Africa graduate to be selected. Given the rise of basketball across the continent, there will be more to come. Chomche's best friend, Khaman Maluach, a 7-2 center from South Sudan who is headed to Duke in the fall, is projected to be a top-three pick in 2025. The two represented the Academy at the recent Nike Hoop Conference, which is an annual high school event. show held in Portland, OR.
“It's a good thing that I have a brother because every time we practice at the Academy, we say we are preparing for war,” said Chomche about Maluach. “Every time we practice, we compete. And I am very grateful to have him because he helps me all the time.”
Together they were a strong team for the Academy, often carrying the team. In December, they led their team to two impressive victories in the G League Winter Showcase, playing in front of hundreds of NBA executives and scouts. Chomche highlighted what makes him a special prospect: in particular, his versatile defensive abilities. He has both the athleticism to protect the rim and the mobility to switch guards on the perimeter. At the 2022 Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo, Egypt, Chomche won the Defensive MVP award.
“His greatest strength is defense,” said Traore. “First of all, his size and height—you can't teach that. He was born with it. It is a gift. A great rebounder. A great blocker. Time is different. And his lateral movement, being able to defend, that is already a gift for him. I think that's part of his battle. You can add a third good indicator. He can shoot from the corner and do it consistently. During the games, if we need it, he can shoot.”
Chomche is still developing his offensive game and will need time to adjust to the NBA. He is only 18 years old—the youngest player eligible for the 2024 Draft. Training at the Academy for the next few months, Chomche is focused on improving his ball handling, shooting and finishing around the basket. He showed signs of being able to spread the floor—during the Basketball Africa League playoffs in November, he shot 38 percent from behind the arc (8/21), while also averaging 13 points, 9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. .
Marshall Cho, who coached Chomche at the Nike Hoop Conference, says the Cameroonian center has “one of the highest feet for a guy that big.” Cho points to Chomche's defensive help and screen setting as evidence. “Those are the two things he can do that don't require a shot,” Cho emphasized. “For all the criticism about his touch on the edge or whatever it may be — that he is raw — he has the foundation that the League needs right now. Besides, if you've seen him shoot the three, he can actually really shoot it. He has that in him.”
Above all else, Chomche is “a winner,” Traore said. He does the little things and always finds a way to make an impact, even if it doesn't come from the box score. “I would be surprised if Ulrich continues his entire career in the NBA without a championship,” continued Traore. “Having some of the best coaches in the world working with him every day, Ulrich will be an NBA starter for over a decade. That's him.”
Regardless of what the future holds, Chomche is already one of the Academy's success stories. How far he has come since joining the program is proof that the program is working—that leaving Bafang was indeed worth it.
Traore adds: “He comes from a very low place. “He represents his family very well.”
Photos via Getty Images.
