ALTHOUGH not the flashiest player with the most exciting highlights package, the value of Noah Penda as a prospect is immense, and there will be plenty of interested teams at the 2025 NBA Draft in June.

With one of the best brains in the draft class, he plays with the smarts of a veteran, and is one of the most adaptable players available, making him extremely valuable, particularly to teams that see themselves in the championship windows.

Penda is not the most athletic player, and his shooting still needs some development, but he offers value as a versatile two-way threat who will be able to make an immediate impact at NBA level.

Playing in France for Le Mans Sarthe Basket, Penda averaged 9.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks on 45 per cent shooting from the field, showing that he can produce at professional level.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will run through some of the clearest comparisons to already established NBA talents, with Penda shaping up very similar to some of the best glue guys in the competition.

Nicolas Batum – Los Angeles Clippers

An underrated performer in terms of longevity, Batum is still performing at a high level in the twilight of his career, and is playing a vital role for the Clippers in the playoffs. He first joined the Portland Trail Blazers after being picked up with the 25th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, and developed into an impressive wing who could score across all three levels, although injuries slowed down his development into a star of the competition. He had a career resurgence when he joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020, and has forged the latter part of his career as a three-and-D wing who can play backup center minutes if needed, and has contributed to plenty of wins in that time. Batum and Penda are similar in their ability to fill roles as scorers, defenders and even passers, impressive for their position and size, and the latter will be looking to have just as long of a career in the NBA.

Boris Diaw – San Antonio Spurs

A valuable piece in the winning Spurs teams of the early 2010’s, Diaw was the best glue guy in the NBA for a while, and made his role crucial to his team’s success. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2003 NBA Draft, and gained the nickname ‘3D’, for his ability to drive, dish and defend, making him one of the most balanced players in the league. He won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2006, before spending the final years of his career in San Antonio, where he became a starter in a championship winning team and slotted into a stacked rotation seamlessly. Penda has the same ability to impact as a scorer, defender and playmaker, and if he can be just as valuable at NBA level, it will bode very well for whichever team drafts him.

Thabo Sefolosha – Houston Rockets

The greatest Swiss basketball player of all time, Sefolosha had a role as a two-way wing who could contribute in a plethora of ways on the floor. He joined the Chicago Bulls via draft and trade in 2006, and was solid for a few years before taking the leap when he became a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, being named to the All-Defensive Second Team, and became a starter over James Harden due to his defensive abilities. He continued to play in the NBA until 2020 when he announced his retirement, having completed a strong career as a wing defender. Although Penda is not quite at that level as a defender, the upside is certainly there, and if he can develop this side of his game, he will undoubtedly lock in a starting spot himself.