Déjà vu: Wildcats double down on French connection

The Perth Wildcats have added another rising French prospect to their roster, signing versatile 6’11" big man Noa Kouakou-Heugue in collaboration with the Hungry Jack’s National Basketball League’s (NBL) Next Stars program.

At 18-years old, the French phenom becomes the latest elite international prospect to choose the Next Stars pathway as a launchpad towards the NBA, following in the footsteps of a number of French talents, including Alex Sarr (Perth), Ousmane Dieng (New Zealand) and Rayan Rupert (New Zealand). 

A product of France’s renowned Centre Fédéral de Basketball, known as INSEP, the young forward has spent the past two years developing at the same academy that has produced global basketball icons including Tony Parker and Rudy Gobert, as well as former Next Stars Dieng and Rupert.

Kouakou-Heugue said the decision to choose the NBL and Perth as his path to the big stage came down to the toughness of the league and the quality of the Wildcats organisation.

“I think the NBL Next Stars program can help me reach my ultimate goal, which is the NBA. The NBL is recognised as being a really hard and physical league, and that will help me a lot,” Kouakou-Heugue said.

“My first interaction with Coach Rillie and the Wildcats was really good. They were talking to me like they are going to help me be the best version of myself, and I really appreciated it.”

Fresh off representing France at both the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup and the 2025 U19 World Cup, the mobile power forward also impressed scouts at February’s Basketball Without Borders Global Camp, held during the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.

Earlier this year, he was named MVP of the EuroLeague Next Generation Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, further cementing his reputation as one of the fastest-rising international prospects of the 2007-born generation.

“We’re super excited to welcome Noa to the Next Stars program and, in partnership with the Wildcats, begin the journey of supporting his growth and development,” General Manager of Next Stars Recruitment, Liam Santamaria said.

“Noa is a fine young man who will fit in really well in Perth, on and off the court. He has great physical tools and a developing, versatile skillset, as well as a hard-working, team-first approach, all of which makes him really interesting to NBA teams.

“We can’t wait for Noa to arrive in Perth and get started with the Wildcats.”

Perth’s General Manager of Basketball, Danny Mills, added: “We're thrilled to welcome Noa to the Wildcats and believe he’s a great addition to our current roster, Noa is widely recognised as one of Europe’s top young talents. His combination of size, skill, and a high motor gives him a strong foundation to grow from, with real potential to develop into an NBA player in the future.

“We’re pleased that Noa and his family view the Perth Wildcats as the ideal environment for the next step of his pro career, and we welcome them to Perth for this next chapter.”

“In recent years, our organisation and coaching staff has had significant success in developing young talent, and we’re confident Noa will follow a similar path and make a lasting impact here in Perth.”

The signing marks another major coup for both the Wildcats and the NBL’s globally respected Next Stars program, which continues to attract top-tier international talent.

Kouakou-Heugue joins projected 2026 first round picks Karim Lopez (New Zealand Breakers) and Dash Daniels (Melbourne United), as well as high-flying prospect Malique Lewis (South East Melbourne Phoenix), as a Next Star for the 2025-26 NBL season.

The Next Stars program is a proven pathway to the NBA for young prospects across the world, with six Next Stars having been selected in the first round of the past six NBA Drafts. In total, eleven Next Stars have been drafted directly from the NBL to the NBA since 2020; LaMelo Ball (2020), RJ Hampton (2020), Josh Giddey (2021), Ousmane Dieng (2022), Rayan Rupert (2023), Alex Sarr (2024), AJ Johnson (2024), Bobi Klintman (2024), Ariel Hukporti (2024), Rocco Zikarsky (2025) and Alex Toohey (2025).