Noa Kouakou-Heugue: From ANGT to Australia with Perth Wildcats

After a heartbreaking overtime loss to Real Madrid in last year’s ANGT finals in Berlin, Pole France hopes to get revenge in Abu Dhabi. In their ranks, Noa Kouakou-Heugue (6’10 », 18 years old) approaches the competition with dual motivation: winning a title to conclude his journey at PFBB and confidently moving towards a promising future in Australia.

Heading to Perth for Noa Kouakou-Heugue

At 18, Noa Kouakou-Heugue is preparing for a major transition in his young career. MVP of the Belgrade qualifying tournament, the 6’10 » big man is playing his final games for Pole France at the prestigious Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT). For his farewell, the former Voiron Basketball Academy player aims for the ultimate reward: the title.

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« It would be really special to finish with a victory, especially after last year’s frustration, » he says, determined to end this chapter beautifully. Having played for ASVEL’s U15 Elite team, Kouakou-Heugue established himself this season as a key player for PFBB’s U18 team in Nationale 1, averaging solid numbers of 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists across 33 games.

But change is already on the horizon. Following Alexandre Sarr’s path, the French international will join the Next Star Program in Australia, a springboard that attracted him for its visibility and high standards. He will play for Perth in 2025-2026, with the clear goal of positioning himself for the 2026 NBA Draft.

Before flying to Oceania, the young power forward/center could have a busy summer. He is expected to join the U19s for the World Cup in Lausanne, before taking leadership of the French U18 team. This schedule reflects the player’s ambition, determined to confirm all the potential shown this season. It begins with the game against Zalgiris Kaunas this Thursday at 12:30 PM French time.