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2025 NBA Draft Profile - How Would French Forward Noah Penda Fit With The Atlanta Hawks?

The Atlanta Hawks have many options in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.
Kahlil McCuller|
Noah Penda France Forward
Noah Penda France Forward | France

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Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have been making some moves this offseason, most notably with the NBA Draft, as they've been reported to have held workouts for different draft picks a few weeks and even a month before the draft. The Hawks have also made some front-office moves and are trying to determine how they will construct their roster for the upcoming season.

Our own Jackson Caudell has been covering the story of the Hawks reportedly holding workouts for the draft:

"When it comes to who the Hawks might draft, that is a bit murky and there have not been a lot of reports about who the Hawks have even brought in for workouts. Today, Lauren Williams of the AJC reported that the Hawks brought in Georgia forward Asa Newell, Michigan State guard Jase Richardson, Alabama center Cliff Omoruyi, and Florida's Will Richard for workouts.

Newell and Richardson are projected first round picks while Richard and Omoruyi are projected to go in the 2nd round or go undrafted. As of today, the Hawks don't have a second round pick, but could be scouting the players to sign them to their summer league roster if they went undrafted.

If the Hawks are indeed interested in either Richardson or Newell, where would they have to take them? Both players could be there at No. 22 and I think that taking either one in the lottery would be a bit early for them. Richardson has been a popular target for the Hawks in recent mock drafts.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo linked him to the Hawks last month as their most "likely" pick at No. 13."

While he won't be the pick for the Hawks at No. 13, French forward Noah Penda is someone who should firmly be on their radar at No. 22.

Let's take a look at Penda's strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:

Penda's ability to guard multiple positions and his 6-foot-6 build bring a physicality to his game that teams in the NBA can use. Penda excels in contact situations and performs well in team systems, also possessing the ability to play effectively in transition, attacking the basket and creating hustle plays for second-chance scoring. He uses his strength to his advantage in the low post and can cut to the basket well and finish with either hand in the process. His rebounding is another benefit of his activeness, as he averaged five rebounds per game. His motor also leads to good help defensive plays, including blocks and deflections. Another ability Penda has on offense is his mid-range shooting. He is still working on his three-point shot but has shown that he can make the shot at times. His transition game on both sides of the ball makes him a threat, as he can make good passes, averaging two and a half assists per game, and can defend against bigger matchups based on his strength and IQ. Panda doesn't struggle with skilled or larger wings when guarding them, thanks to his strength and discipline, as well as his decent free throw shooting at 69%, which shows he can improve his overall shooting.

Weaknesses:

Penda, as stated earlier, has shown room for improvement when it comes to his overall shot-making abilities from the perimeter, as he made just 30% of his shots from there. His shooting mechanics also have room for improvement, which could be part of the reason he struggles shooting from a distance, leading to more challenging shot contests from defenses and making it difficult for him to create his shots. He will also need to work on his post-game when he gets drafted, as he struggles with using his feet inside and handling pressure, leading to him having to rely on cutting to the basket, making hustle plays, or being on the fast break to create scoring opportunities for himself. When guarding minor players, Penda struggles with stopping them, as he tends to foul often, and he also struggles with guarding in isolation, which could spell trouble for elite-level NBA perimeter players. Lastly, his overall game falls in line for him to be more of a role player than an actual franchise player, based on the fact that he doesn't excel in any particular thing at the moment.

Overall:

Penda joining the Hawks could be beneficial in terms of adding more physical toughness on the defensive side of the ball, as well as creating second-chance scoring opportunities through his rebounding and hustle plays. The Hawks would be able to utilize him in transition on both sides of the ball, as he will always be a threat in terms of helping on defense and taking on bigger matchups. Offensively, he can make good reads, leading to easy buckets for his teammates, as well as getting to the basket as a cutter. The downside of this pick is that the Hawks need shooting, and that is something Penda doesn't excel at, particularly in terms of the three-point shot. He also struggles with creating his shot, which the Hawks are somewhat in need of outside of Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. Defensively, NBA guards on offense would likely put him in a lot of screens and force him to guard them, which he doesn't excel at based on his reaching and footwork, so if you have him and Trae Young or a smaller lineup on the court, it could likely lead to easy scoring opportunities for opposing offenses.

More Atlanta Hawks Draft News:

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Kahlil McCuller
KAHLIL MCCULLER

Kahlil McCuller started covering Virginia Tech Athletics for Virginia Tech On SI in July 2024 and the Atlanta Hawks For Atlanta Hawks On SI since April 2025. Kahlil is also the co-host of the Burg Bros Sports Podcast and has extensive experience in the sports industry with a high knowledge of both professional and collegiate sports. His work concentrates on comprehensive and insightful analysis, making him a highly reliable source in the sports media industry.

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