Ulrich Chomche Bio
Ulrich Kamka Chomche (born 30 December 2005) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player who most recently played for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with Raptors 905 of the NBA G League. At 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m), he plays the center position. A graduate of the NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal, Chomche is the first former Basketball Africa League (BAL) player to be drafted into the NBA, and the first NBA Academy graduate to be selected in the draft.
ESPN has labeled him the best Cameroonian prospect of his generation, and the best to come from the country since Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid. In his brief NBA stint, Chomche was ruled out for the remainder of the 2024–2025 season in February 2025 after suffering a partial proximal MCL tear in his right knee, and was later waived by Toronto in October 2025.
Early Life and Background
Ulrich Kamka Chomche was born in Bafang, in the West Province of Cameroon. He grew up in a community where basketball was not the most common sport, but his height quickly set him apart from his peers. He picked up the game at age 11, in part because he was the tallest kid in his neighborhood and friends pushed him to try it.
One year later, Chomche joined the NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal, an elite training program for top African prospects. The move marked the beginning of his structured basketball education and also required him to start studying English, which has since become a key working language for him on and off the court.
At the 2022 Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo, Chomche showcased his defensive skills and was named the Defensive MVP among boys at the event. That honor helped raise his profile among scouts and set the stage for his rapid rise into professional basketball.
Path to Basketball
Chomche’s path to professional basketball accelerated through the NBA Academy Africa’s BAL Elevate program, which places top academy players on Basketball Africa League rosters. In 2022, at just 16 years old, he made his BAL debut with Cameroonian club FAP. He averaged 2.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game, and on 16 April he grabbed a career-high seven rebounds against Petro de Luanda. FAP finished the tournament in fourth place.
The following year, in 2023, Chomche was drafted by Rwandan club REG for his second consecutive BAL season. During the tournament he drew praise from former NBA player Joakim Noah, who spoke highly of his defensive instincts. In March 2024, he was drafted by APR for the 2024 BAL season, but was eventually left off the roster so he could focus on preparing for the 2024 NBA draft.
Ulrich Chomche Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
Chomche opened his professional career with FAP in 2022, becoming one of the youngest players ever to appear in the Basketball Africa League. Playing in a limited role off the bench, he showed flashes of his long-term potential as a rim protector and rebounder, even against experienced African professionals.
In 2023, he moved to REG in Rwanda, where he continued to develop within the BAL structure. The year was important for his visibility, since international scouts and former NBA players took notice of his shot-blocking and mobility for a player his size.
NBA Breakthrough (2024–2025)
On 15 April 2024, Chomche declared for the 2024 NBA draft and was the youngest player in the class. On 27 June 2024, he was selected with the 57th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies, but was immediately traded to the Toronto Raptors on draft night. The selection made him the first NBA Academy Africa prospect to be drafted, the first player drafted directly out of any NBA Academy, and the first former BAL player to be picked.
On 10 July 2024, Chomche signed a two-way contract with the Raptors, splitting time between the NBA parent club and Raptors 905 in the G League. In seven games for Toronto, he averaged 0.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.3 assists, while continuing to be developed as a long-term project at center.
On 19 February 2025, Chomche was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a partial proximal MCL tear in his right knee, an injury that interrupted his on-court growth in Toronto. On 16 October 2025, he was waived by Toronto, opening the next chapter of his career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Standing 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) with a 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) wingspan, Chomche is best known for his defense. He is praised for his shot-blocking, his ability to protect the rim, and his mobility for a young center. Coming into the 2024 NBA draft, scouts described his offensive game as still needing significant development, with most of his value tied to his defensive upside and physical tools.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chomche’s signature milestone came on 27 June 2024, when he was drafted 57th overall, becoming the first NBA Academy graduate and the first former BAL player to be selected in the NBA draft. He also represented Cameroon at the 2022 Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo, where he was named Defensive MVP, and was part of FAP’s fourth-place BAL finish in 2022.
Ulrich Chomche Career Wins
Ulrich Kamka Chomche is still in the early stages of his professional career, and his résumé is built more on development and milestones than on championship trophies. He has competed in two Basketball Africa League seasons, in 2022 with FAP and in 2023 with REG, reaching the BAL’s later stages with FAP in 2022.
Other Wins and Performances
In 2024, Chomche was selected for the Nike Hoop Summit, one of the top pre-draft showcases in the world. He was also named Defensive MVP at the 2022 Basketball Without Borders camp in Cairo. With the Cameroon senior national team, he made his debut on 24 February 2023 in Alexandria, scoring in an 85–56 win over DR Congo during the 2023 World Cup qualifiers.
Ulrich Chomche Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Chomche was raised in Bafang, in the West Province of Cameroon, in a community where his height made him stand out from a young age. He has spoken about how peer influence from friends in his neighborhood helped push him toward basketball when he was 11 years old. Detailed information about his parents and extended family is not publicly confirmed in available sources.
Personal Life
Off the court, Chomche is known for his work ethic and his willingness to relocate for his career, including his move from Cameroon to the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal and later to North America. Public information about a spouse, partner, or children is not confirmed in available sources, and he is widely described as fully focused on his young basketball career.
2025 Season Performance
Chomche’s 2025 calendar began with the tail end of his rookie season in Toronto, where he continued to split time between the Raptors and Raptors 905 of the NBA G League. His first season in North America was cut short on 19 February 2025, when he was ruled out for the remainder of the year after suffering a partial proximal MCL tear in his right knee.
Despite the injury setback, the year was historic in scope. Chomche’s 2024 draft selection had already made him a trailblazer as the first NBA Academy Africa graduate and the first former BAL player ever drafted into the NBA, and his work with Raptors 905 gave him valuable professional minutes before the injury.
Looking ahead, the focus for 2025 and beyond will be on his recovery from knee surgery, continued development of his offensive game, and finding a new home after being waived by the Toronto Raptors on 16 October 2025. His long-term outlook remains strong, given his size, wingspan, defensive instincts, and status as one of the most highly regarded Cameroonian prospects since Joel Embiid.