 Nzosa withUnicaja Malaga in 2022 | |
| No. 3 – Carplus Fuenlabrada | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Primera FEB |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (2003-11-15)15 November 2003 (age 21) Kinshasa, DR Congo |
| 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 theWashington Wizards | |
| Playing career | 2020–present |
| Career history | |
| 2020–present | Unicaja |
| 2022–2023 | →Coosur Real Betis |
| 2023–2024 | →Movistar Estudiantes |
| 2024–present | →Fuenlabrada |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Yannick Nzosa Manzila (born 15 November 2003) is a Congolese professionalbasketball player forFuenlabrada of thePrimera FEB, on loan fromUnicaja Malaga. He was drafted by theWashington Wizards in the second round of the2022 NBA Draft.
Nzosa was born and raised in the suburbs ofKinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1] He grew up playingassociation football as agoalkeeper. At age 12, Nzosa was discovered by a friend of a coach of local clubNew Generation, with whom he started his basketball career. One year later, he tried to enroll atCanterbury Academy inLas Palmas, Spain, with the help of former playerAnicet Lavodrama, but was denied avisa.[2] In 2017, Nzosa began playing for Italian clubStella Azzurra Roma.[1] TeammatesPaul Eboua and Jordan Bayehe helped him learn to speak Italian.[3] In February 2019, Nzosa played for Stella Azzurra's under-18 team at theKaunas Tournament, a qualifier for theAdidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT), and was named to the all-tournament team.[4]
For the 2019–20 season, Nzosa wasloaned to Stella Azzurra's affiliated team,Roseto Sharks of theSerie A2 Basket.[5] On 6 September 2019, he was picked up from his hotel by his mentor, Joe Lolonga, prior to a preseason training session, without the consent of his club to travel toMálaga and join Spanish clubUnicaja Málaga.[1] Stella Azzurra filed a police report against Lolonga, who had been unhappy with the club's training of Nzosa, forkidnapping.[6] Nzosa announced on social media that he was moving to Unicaja and denied reports that he had been kidnapped.[7] He trained with Unicaja Andalucía, thereserve team of Unicaja competing in theLiga EBA, but was not allowed to play in professional matches due to a dispute between Unicaja and Stella Azzurra over his rights.[8][9] In December 2019, he represented the club's under-18 team at the ANGTValencia Tournament, earning all-tournament team honors.[10][11]
On 31 March 2020, Nzosa signed a five-year contract with Unicaja of theLiga ACB afterFIBA 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 theNational Basketball Association and theEuroLeague.[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 overAndorra. He joinedRicky Rubio andLuka 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 hisEuroCup debut, going scoreless in nine minutes in a 96–88 win overMetropolitans 92.[17] On 3 October, he scored 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting in a 90–86 loss toManresa, 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 overValencia. He surpassedKristaps 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 toAS Monaco.[20] He was named to theACB All-Young Players Team.[21]
From April 2021, Nzosa was sidelined for five months withathletic pubalgia and was cleared to play by September.[22][23] His play declined in the2021–22 season, and he fell from a potential top-five pick to a late-second-round selection in the2022 NBA draft, according to draft projections.[24] He was selected with the 54th overall pick by theWashington Wizards, while remaining under contract with Unicaja.[25] For the 2022–23 season, Nzosa wasloaned toReal Betis Baloncesto.[26]
On 29 August 2024, Nzosa signed withCarplus Fuenlabrada of thePrimera FEB on loan from Unicaja.[27]
Nzosa's father works in China, while his mother lives in a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1] His parents aredivorced.[28] He has four sisters and one brother.[3] Nzosa'slegal guardian is Joe Lolonga, a family friend and technical director of theDemocratic Republic of Congo Basketball Federation. Lolonga facilitated his move to Stella Azzurra in 2017 and has acted as his mentor and manager.[29]
Nzosa speaks French,Lingala, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish, and is learning to speak English.[30] He is in the process of becoming anaturalized Spanish citizen and eligible to play for thenational team.[31] He idolizes NBA playerGiannis Antetokounmpo.[32]