Auburn Signee Foregoes NBA Contract, Sticks with Tigers

The Auburn Tigers catch a break on the hardwood after the 2026 NBA Draft.

Auburn head coach Steven Pearl gets back an important piece, Narcisse Ngoy, who was drafted by the Clippers but opted out. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Wednesday night, fans of the Auburn Tigers held their breath as Narcisse Ngoy, who signed with the Tigers on March 31, was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the NBA Draft.

However, on Thursday morning, Ngoy announced that he would choose Auburn over the NBA.

“I am thankful for the LA Clippers confidence in me,” he said. “I fully intend to honor my commitment to Auburn University, and I am looking forward to wearing the Auburn Tigers jersey for the 2026–27 season.”

Ngoy, a Frenchman, was a massive acquisition for the Tigers earlier this year. Standing at a staggering seven feet tall, Ngoy projects to be one of the Tigers’ most major players in the upcoming season.

“We’re excited to welcome Narcisse Ngoy to our program," Pearl said of Ngoy at the time. "He’s a high-upside young man who brings toughness, physicality, and a team-first mindset to everything he does… Narcisse has a strong feel for the game on both ends of the floor. His instincts, ability to catch and finish around the basket, rim protection, and willingness to embrace contact will make him an immediate impact while filling a huge need for our team.”

Ngoy went on to earn Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors for Poitiers Basket 86 in the French Elite 2 league. This season, Ngoy averaged a double-double of 11 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, tacking on 2.8 blocks per matchup.

“What stands out the most is his commitment to winning. He’s not focused on individual numbers—he takes pride in doing the hard, physical work that helps his team succeed,” Pearl added. “He competes at a high level, processes the game well, and understands how to play within a system.”  

The Tigers’ starting lineup is set to return only two players this season after all of the Tigers’ big men transferred away, but Ngoy, along with other top-level pieces like Thomas Dowd and Owen Freeman, is expected to be the solution to the depth issues the Tigers struggled with last year.

The Tigers certainly have found themselves a good one in Ngoy, who not only projects to provide some top-level production for the Tigers in 2026, but also is bought into Auburn and Steven Pearl enough to choose the SEC over the NBA.

Sign up for our free Auburn Tigers newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!