Narcisse Ngoy, the 57th pick in this week's NBA draft, said Thursday he still plans to play college basketball at Auburn next season.
Ngoy, who committed to the Tigers in March, was picked by the LA Clippers toward the end of Wednesday's second round.
"I am thankful for the LA Clippers' confidence in me," Ngoy posted on social media. "I fully intend to honor my commitment to Auburn University, and I am looking forward to wearing the Auburn Tigers jersey for the 2026-27 season."
The Clippers don't intend to lure Ngoy from Auburn, sources told ESPN, and the expectation remains that he will suit up for the Tigers next season.
Since Ngoy is turning 22 this summer, he was automatically eligible for the NBA draft and, therefore, can maintain his college eligibility despite being selected. By contrast, Germany-born Jack Kayil, who was picked 39th by the New York Knicks, is not eligible to play college basketball because he is only 20 years old and voluntarily entered the NBA draft.
The Clippers plan to treat Ngoy as a draft-and-stash player, sources told ESPN, and will own his rights after he's done at Auburn. The draft-and-stash practice is usually reserved for international players selected in the NBA draft and then kept overseas.
The rising salaries for college basketball players have dramatically increased the number of international players coming to the United States to play in college, with the idea of a college basketball draft-and-stash also becoming more viable as a result.
Assuming Ngoy plays at Auburn, he'll be considered the first player in the modern era to opt to play in college immediately after being drafted. The Knicks owned the rights to James Nnaji when he played at Baylor last season, but he was drafted in 2023 and remained overseas until enrolling at Baylor.
ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.
