Yannick Nzosa
LEB Oro | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Kinshasa, DR Congo | 15 November 2003
Listed height | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) |
Listed weight | 88.5 kg (195 lb) |
Career information | |
NBA draft | 2022: 2nd round, 54th overall pick |
Selected by the Washington Wizards | |
Playing career | 2020–present |
Career history | |
2020–2023 | Unicaja |
2022–2023 | → Coosur Real Betis |
2023–present | → Movistar Estudiantes |
Career highlights and awards | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Yannick Nzosa Manzila (born 15 November 2003) is a Congolese professional
Early life and youth career
Nzosa was born and raised in the suburbs of
For the 2019–20 season, Nzosa was
Professional career
On 31 March 2020, Nzosa signed a five-year contract with Unicaja of the Liga ACB after FIBA Europe ruled in favor of the club in its dispute with Stella Azzurra.[12][13] The deal included a clause of about €1 million to allow him to leave for the National Basketball Association and the EuroLeague.[13] Stella Azzurra received €25,000 in compensation for his transfer.[14]
In the 2020–21 season, Nzosa joined Unicaja's senior team and immediately became a key player.[15] On 27 September, at 16 years and 10 months of age, he made his Liga ACB debut. In 18 minutes, he recorded 10 points, shooting 5-of-5 from the field, three rebounds and two blocks in an 81–78 win over Andorra. He joined Ricky Rubio and Luka Dončić as the only 16-year-olds in league history to score at least 10 points in a game, while becoming the second-youngest debutant in team history behind Pablo Sánchez.[16] Two days later, Nzosa made his EuroCup debut, going scoreless in nine minutes in a 96–88 win over Metropolitans 92.[17] On 3 October, he scored 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting in a 90–86 loss to Manresa, becoming the first under-18 player to score 10 or more points in their first two ACB games.[18] On 11 October, Nzosa recorded four rebounds, four blocks, three assists, three steals and two points in a 71–66 victory over Valencia. He surpassed Kristaps Porziņģis as the youngest player in league history with least four blocks in a game.[19] On 9 March 2021, Nzosa posted a season-high 16 points and four blocks in a 98–89 loss to AS Monaco.[20] He was named to the ACB All-Young Players Team.[21]
From April 2021, Nzosa was sidelined for five months with athletic pubalgia and was cleared to play by September.[22][23] His play declined in the 2021–22 season, and he fell from a potential top-five pick to a late-second-round selection in the 2022 NBA draft, according to draft projections.[24] He was selected with the 54th overall pick by the Washington Wizards, while remaining under contract with Unicaja.[25] For the 2022–23 season, Nzosa was loaned to Real Betis Baloncesto.[26]
Personal life
Nzosa's father works in China, while his mother lives in a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1] His parents are divorced.[27] He has four sisters and one brother.[3] Nzosa's legal guardian is Joe Lolonga, a family friend and technical director of the Democratic Republic of Congo Basketball Federation. Lolonga facilitated his move to Stella Azzurra in 2017 and has acted as his mentor and manager.[28]
Nzosa speaks French, Lingala, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, and is learning to speak English.[29] He is in the process of becoming a naturalized Spanish citizen and eligible to play for the national team.[30] He idolizes NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo.[31]
References
- ^ a b c d Nigro, Giuseppe (9 September 2019). ""Yannick è stato rapito". La fuga a Malaga (col mentore) del talento Nzosa". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ Puertas, José Manuel (29 September 2020). "Yannick Nzosa: frenesí y vértigo de un portero de Kinshasa, por José Manuel Puertas". Kia en Zona (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ a b Maggitti, Luca (8 September 2019). "Il ratto di Yannick Nzosa". Roseto (in Italian). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ "Kriisa named MVP of ANGT Kaunas". Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ Maggi, Alessandro (10 September 2019). "Il "caso" Yannick Nzosa, il prospetto scippato alla Stella Azzurra Roma". Sportando (in Italian). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ María Noguera, Jesús (18 September 2021). "Nzosa y el consejo de su madre: "Tu momento llegará"". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Rapone, Marco (9 September 2019). "Nzosa in fuga, Roseto perde un talento". il Centro (in Italian). Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- ^ Olías, José Manuel (8 September 2018). "El Unicaja echa las redes sobre Yannick Nzosa". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ Fernández, Emilio (31 March 2020). "FIBA Europa resuelve a favor del Unicaja el caso de Yannick Nzosa". La Opinión de Málaga (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ "MVP Montero heads ANGT Valencia all-tourney team". Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament. 29 December 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ "Nzosa, elegido en el quinteto ideal del Adidas Next Generation". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). 29 December 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ "Malaga to officially incorporate youngster Yannick Nzosa". EuroHoops. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ a b Calderón, Juan (2 April 2020). "El Unicaja blinda a Yannick Nzosa como a una estrella". Diario Sur. p. es. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ Calderón, Juan (10 September 2020). "En Estados Unidos ya preparan el salto de Yannick Nzosa a la NBA". Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ María Noguera, Jesús (30 January 2021). "Yannick Nzosa, una luz en el túnel". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2021.
- ^ Calderón, Juan (27 September 2020). "Yannick Nzosa, ha nacido una estrella". Diario Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ Gallardo, Antonio (29 September 2020). "El Unicaja se estrena con victoria en la Eurocup". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ Fuentes, Alberto (4 October 2020). "Yannick Nzosa, el niño de los récords". La Opinión de Málaga (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Nzosa supera a Porzingis, el más joven en poner cuatro tapones en un partido ACB". Marca (in Spanish). 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- ^ "Mar 9, 2021 - AS Monaco Basket 98 at Unicaja 89". RealGM. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ "Mejor Quinteto Joven de la Liga Endesa 2020-21". Liga ACB. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
- ^ Manuel Olías, José (2 September 2021). "Un 'fichaje' Yannick llamado Nzosa". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Ángel Gutierrez, Miguel (4 September 2021). "Tras cinco meses, Nzosa vuelve con fuerza". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Noguera, Jesús María (18 June 2022). "El panorama de Yannick Nzosa". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ Robbins, Josh (13 July 2022). "Wizards summer-league diary: Yannick Nzosa visits, Delon Wright excited for opportunity". The Athletic. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
- ^ "Acuerdo con el Unicaja Málaga para la cesión de Yannick Nzosa". realbetisbalompie.es (in Spanish). 3 August 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ Calderón, Juan (17 September 2021). "Las confesiones de Nzosa: "Hubo un momento en el que pensé en volver a Italia porque no jugaba"". Diario Sur. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Solé, Gerard (8 September 2019). "Nuevas informaciones de la situación de Nzosa, el joven talento que ha dejado Stella Azzurra". Gigantes del Basket (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ Calle, Franklyn (10 May 2021). "2022 NBA Draft Prospect Yannick Nzosa is Ready to Make the Congo Proud". Slam. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
- ^ Manuel Olías, José (23 October 2020). "La FEB y el Unicaja trabajan para que Yannick Nzosa pueda jugar con España". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2021.
- ^ María Noguera, Jesús (10 February 2021). "El otro Nzosa: estudiante brillante, aficionado al ajedrez y una rutina de 1.000 tiros al día". Málaga Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2021.