French forward Sekou Doumbouya has submitted paperwork to the league office to make himself eligible for the 2019 NBA draft, his agent, Bouna Ndiaye of Comsport, told ESPN.
Doumbouya, the No. 8 prospect in the ESPN Top 100, is the youngest player eligible for the 2019 draft. He won’t turn 19 until Dec. 23. He’ll be the youngest player to step foot on a NBA floor since the league’s age limit was instituted in 2005, breaking Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s record from 2013; Antetokounmpo didn’t turn 19 until Dec. 6 that year.
Despite his youth, Doumbouya has emerged as an important player for Limoges in the French Pro A league and the EuroCup, recently becoming a starter and averaging 6.7 points and 3 rebounds in 17 minutes per game, shooting 61 percent from 2-point range and 33 percent from 3 through 28 games. He was slowed by a hand injury in December that sidelined him for nearly six weeks, but has had a string of impressive performances since then, solidifying his lottery status while playing in a strong development situation at Limoges.
Doumbouya, who was born in Guinea in West Africa but moved to France as an infant, burst onto the NBA radar at the FIBA Under-18 European Championship in 2016, helping his team win gold and being named to the all-tournament team despite turning 16 years old just a few days prior to the event.
He was measured at over 6-foot-9 at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles in 2018, and he sees significant minutes at the small forward position for Limoges. But Doumbouya has ample size, length and bulk to operate as a modern power forward. His athletic ability, defensive versatility and budding perimeter skill set make him an ideal fit for today’s NBA; he has significant upside to grow into as well, considering his youth.
Doumbouya’s team is currently fighting for a playoff spot in France, but he should have ample time to arrive in the U.S, and conduct pre-draft workouts for NBA teams once his season is finished.