Ulrich Chomche has found his next basketball destination, and it’s not in the NBA.
The 20-year-old has signed with BC Balkan Botevgrad, as announced by the team. A big get for the reigning National Basketball League champions ahead of their BKT EuroCup debut.
Chomche was previously a member of the Toronto Raptors organization for one season, after the franchise traded for the 57th overall pick in 2024 from the Memphis Grizzlies and used it to select the 6-foot-11 Cameroonian. He was the youngest player in his draft class and the first player selected to the NBA out of the Basketball Africa League and NBA Academy Africa.
He’d spend the 2024-25 season on a two-way contract with the Raptors, making seven NBA appearances. Chomche spent most of that season with the Raptors 905, averaging 7.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.9 blocks on 54.4/33.3/44.4 shooting splits through 33 G League games.
In Summer League last year, Chomche averaged 6.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks. He was waived a couple of months later, however, shortly before the regular-season began.
Chomche was held out of training camp due to an undisclosed medical condition, according to Sportsnet’s Michael Grange, and was referred to the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel for assessment on his eligibility to play moving forward.
The young big man had been around the organization to some degree in the time since, frequently seen attending 905 games in Mississauga, Ont. from the team section of the stands, or posting videos of his workouts on social media with a Toronto-area trainer, who’s also worked with fellow Francophone NBAer Chris Boucher.
Chomche’s return to organized basketball seemingly came in July, when he represented Cameroon during FIBA qualifiers and totalled eight points on 4-of-8 shooting, 15 rebounds and five blocks through three games.
