The Curious Case of Narcisse Ngoy: Why a 2026 NBA Draftee Can and Will Play for Auburn This Year
The Curious Case of Narcisse Ngoy: Why a 2026 NBA Draftee Can and Will Play for Auburn This Year
The Clippers will have to wait for one of their second-round draft picks.Patrick Andres|
In this story:
Los Angeles ClippersAuburn TigersThe following two statements are true. On Wednesday, the Clippers (through the Hawks) drafted center Narcisse Ngoy with the No. 57 pick. In 2027, Ngoy will play for Auburn.
What?
Los Angeles’s selection of Ngoy Thursday confused fans and observers far and wide, reportedly up to and including Ngoy himself—who affirmed his intent to play for the Tigers in `27 in a statement.
“I'm told that Narcisse Ngoy was not expecting to be drafted—by the Clippers or any team,” Law Murray of The Athletic reported Thursday afternoon, corroborating reporting from SI’s Kevin Sweeney. “It's been described to me as ‘an unprecedented and fluid situation’ but Clippers front office has been in touch since the draft and... conversations will be ongoing on this front.”
Here’s a look at the quirk that will enable one of the more unusual individual seasons in college basketball history to unfold this year.
Ngoy is a beneficiary of a recent rule change
On July 13, Ngoy will turn 22. The fact that he will be 22 at the start of the next season, per the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, makes him automatically eligible to be taken in the NBA draft without forfeiting his college eligibility. He would forfeit his college eligibility if he entered the draft early, but he didn’t.
What this effectively means in this day and age—where the money being thrown around college basketball now attracts young players that previously would’ve plied their trade in Europe—is that NBA teams can now draft players and stash them in college. Los Angeles, therefore, will hold Ngoy’s rights while he suits up for Auburn—previously, it might’ve done the same while Ngoy played in his native France.
How good is Ngoy, anyway?
Playing for Poitiers Basket 86 in Élite 2—the French second division—Ngoy averaged, per RealGM, 9.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 24.5 minutes per game. Those numbers in a professional league—put up by a 21-year-old—seem like a fair bet to translate to the SEC.
He’ll join a Tigers team looking to recover from a down 2026 under new coach Steven Pearl—Auburn went 22-16 for its worst record in five years, although it did pull itself together late in the season and win the NIT. Joining Ngoy in the Tigers’ class of newcomers will be ex-Creighton center Owen Freeman, ex-Troy forward Thomas Dowd, and high school guard Caleb Williams (not that one). It took four years for Steven’s father Bruce Pearl to make an NCAA tournament with Auburn—can Steven get there quicker?
Ngoy playing in college while a team holds his draft rights recalls the long-ago plight of Larry Bird
In 1978, Bird averaged 30 points and 11.5 rebounds per game for Indiana State, leading the Sycamores to a 23-9 record and (briefly) the AP Top 5. He caught the eye of the Celtics, who drafted him sixth before his senior season. Boston held his rights as he led Indiana State to the national championship game—a loophole the NBA soon closed.
In effect, then, Bird was college basketball’s first draft-and-stash, starting a trend that would continue in a different capacity 47 years later.
More College Basketball from Sports Illustrated
Published 10 hours ago | Modified 10 hours ago
PATRICK ANDRESPatrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
