A product of France’s renowned Centre Fédéral de Basketball, known as INSEP, the young forward has spent the past two years developing at the same academy that has produced global basketball icons including Tony Parker and Rudy Gobert, as well as former Next Stars Dieng and Rupert.

Kouakou-Heugue said the decision to choose the NBL and Perth as his path to the big stage came down to the toughness of the league and the quality of the Wildcats organisation.

“I think the NBL Next Stars program can help me to reach my ultimate goal, which is the NBA. The NBL is recognised as being a really hard and physical league, and that will help me a lot,” Kouakou-Heugue said.

Fresh off representing France at both the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup and the 2025 U19 World Cup, the mobile PF/C also impressed scouts at February’s Basketball Without Borders Global Camp, held during the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.

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