Cyro Asseo de Choch
| USA TODAY Sports
2005 | 6-8 | 6-11 WS | 225 LBS
Team: Le Mans
Agent: 360
Best aggregate mock draft rank: 16 / Worst rank: NR
Statistics: In 2024-25, Penda averaged 9.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.9 bpg, 43.4 FG%, 31.8 3P% in 29 games this season
His brother is Swann Penda a 2008 Frenchman prospect, and comes from a basketball family.
See a mistake, contact Cyro Asseo by clicking here.
Strengths
* Switchable defender who consistently guards wings, bigs, and even some guards.
* Physical motor – crashes the boards hard and creates chaos defensively.
* Solid catch-and-shoot threat – hitting 36.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes this season (71 attempts in 29 games).
* Good finisher at the rim – converts 55 percent of his shots around the basket.
* Two-way versatility makes him a plug-and-play forward with 3-and-D upside.
* Plays with consistent energy; impacts games even when not scoring.
* Excels defending in half-court sets, showing good positioning and hand activity.
* Quick to jump passing lanes and create transition opportunities.
* Solid in transition offense with 1.328 points per possession (PPS) (51st percentile).
* Good cutter – scores efficiently (1.250 PPS, 63.9% FG) when moving off-ball to the rim.
* Effective post-up option against mismatches (1.061 PPS).
* His frame and defensive instincts help him make a strong impact without needing plays drawn for him.
Weaknesses
* Limited self-creation skills; struggles to create shots off the dribble in isolation (0.625 PPS).
* Free throw shooting is shaky at 68.5%, capping his offensive upside.
* Jump shot consistency needs improvement (31.8% overall from three).
* Average effectiveness overall in half-court settings (0.942 PPS, 45th percentile).
* Can be streaky from deep – shoots better when unguarded but struggles against tight contests.
* Still developing ball-handling under pressure; turnover-prone when forced into playmaking situations.
* Doesn’t offer much in pick-and-roll ball handling yet – mostly a finisher, not a creator.
* Shot quality is just average; doesn’t create many high-efficiency looks outside of spot-ups or cuts.
* Needs to improve shot diversity – relies mostly on catch-and-shoots and cuts to score.
Scout Notes:
An assistant coach told HoopsHype: “Don’t sleep on this kid. Not the most polished skill set yet, but he plays with a motor that never quits. We love how he attacks the glass and defends multiple positions. His shot’s coming along better than people think too. Might need a year to develop, but he’s got all the tools to be a problem at the next level.”
An international scout on Noah Penda: “Pretty comfortable handling on the perimeter and he’s hitting his catch and shoot threes. That combination can open up a lot for him. Impressive handle in transition as well. He’s a defensive playmaker all over the floor, has recorded 4-plus STOCKS in six of his last 11 games. Has a chance to stick at the four or five if he continues like this.”
You can follow Cyro Asseo (@CyroAsseo) on X, formerly known as Twitter, or BlueSky.