James Nnaji

20-Year-Old CenterC
 Free Agent  Foreign  
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for James Nnaji in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
RANKS
Current Season
From Preseason
#140
ADP
Personal Bio/PreCareer Summary

James Nnaji, who turns 19 on Aug. 14, 2023, is among the youngest players in the top 80 prospects. Standing at 6-foot-11, 226 pounds with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Nnaji is a rotational center for FC Barcelona. Nnaji averaged just 6.0 minutes per contest in EuroLeague play, but that is common for youth players. Barcelona finished as the second-best team in the EuroLeague standings and is amid a playoff run for the fifth consecutive season. Nnaji started playing basketball in July 2016 in his home country of Nigeria, prior to moving to Ratgeber Basketball Academy in Hungary after a 2018 Facebook reel of his camp highlights went viral. Across 43 total contests, Nnaji averaged 3.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 8.7 minutes per game. His 39 blocks in 284 minutes played equates to one block every 7.3 minutes, which is a prodigious rate. On offense, Nnaji profiles as a screener and paint-dwelling big. On defense, his agility pops, bringing rim protection and versatile, switchable upside. Nnaji is raw. When drafted, he'll have been playing basketball for only seven years, and his minutes in the EuroLeague were quite limited. But he has the size and instincts that create a quality foundation as a prospect. Success for Nnaji could be defined as landing a consistent backup center role as a rookie. He has similarities to paint-dominant big men like Clint Capela and Mitchell Robinson.

Rights traded to Knicks
CFree Agent
October 1, 2024
The Knicks acquired Nnaji and Karl-Anthony Towns on Tuesday in a three-team deal involving the Hornets and Timberwolves, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
The No. 31 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Nnaji is viewed as a long-term project. The 20-year-old has yet to make his NBA debut and will likely remain overseas in 2024-25 after Spanish club FC Barcelona loaned him to Basquet Girona in August. As part of the trade, the Hornets will acquire Duane Washington, DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown, three second-round draft picks and $7.2 million, while the Timberwolves receive Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop and a 2025 first-round draft pick.
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring James Nnaji See More
NBA Draft 2023 - Final Mock and Top 60 Prospects
June 22, 2023
The top three picks are practically set with Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson and Brandon Miller. After that, things start to get interesting.
More Fantasy News
Staying overseas in 2023-24
CFree Agent
October 11, 2023
Nnaji, who was selected with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, won't join the Hornets for the upcoming season and will instead continue playing for Spanish club FC Barcelona, Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.net reports.
ANALYSIS
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Selected 31st by Charlotte
CCharlotte Hornets
June 22, 2023
Nnaji was selected 31st in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Celtics, but he was quickly redirected to the Charlotte Hornets.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Solid debut
CCharlotte Hornets
July 19, 2023
Nnaji averaged 3.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 17.5 minutes per game across six Summer League contests for the Hornets.
ANALYSIS
Nnaji was an impactful rebounder and shot blocker. His offensive role was limited, as Charlotte couldn't maximize Nnaji as a roll man with Nick Smith and Justin Robinson mostly running the offense. The preceding two sentences sum up Nnaji's abilities as a basketball player. He's almost certainly a draft-and-stash player for Charlotte at this time.
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