Cameroonian power forward Paul Eboua has submitted paperwork to the league office to make himself eligible for the 2020 NBA draft, he told ESPN Saturday.
“I have made the decision to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft with the full intent to stay in,” Eboua wrote ESPN. “I would like to thank Pesaro for giving me the opportunity to play for them this past year and also I would like to thank StellaAzzura and Coach Germano for helping me up until this point and continuing to help me through the draft process.”
Eboua, the No. 53 prospect in the ESPN Top 100, had a productive season in the Italian first division with Pesaro, averaging 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22 minutes per game.
“This last year in Pesaro was a great experience for me,” Eboua wrote to ESPN. “They provided a wonderful atmosphere to get better in and I definitely tried to take advantage of that as much as possible. I believe NBA teams saw the energy, athleticism, competitiveness I bring every moment I am on the floor and that I’m definitely not afraid of a little contact.”
Eboua has been on the NBA radar screen for quite some time, having played at the Jordan Brand Classic international game in Brooklyn and Adidas EuroCamp in Treviso as a 16-year old.
Standing 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Eboua has ideal physical tools for a power forward prospect. He projects as a versatile defender who contributes with his energy, rebounding and budding offensive game. While still at an early stage of development, he’s improved his perimeter shooting, ball-handling and finishing ability enough this past season to leave plenty of room for optimism considering he just turned 20 and only started playing the game at the age of 14.
The NBA draft is scheduled for June 25, but following worldwide suspensions of basketball activities, NBA teams are lobbying the league office to push it to August in order to salvage the pre-draft process, ESPN reported earlier this month.
Eboua said he’s been working out every day in the StellaAzzurra facilities in Rome during the pandemic.
“The NBA is a serious organization and will find solutions to any problems that might come up. My job is to be ready whenever the draft takes place,” Eboua wrote ESPN. “Hopefully if things calm down, and we are allowed travel, my plans are to go to P3 Sports Science in Santa Barbara, work with Dr. Marcus Elliot and focus on working hard and getting better every day.”