Scouting Report: Chima Moneke
Chima Moneke is coming after a great season in France and signed for the Spanish side Manresa for the next season. He was also invited for the Nigerian national team for the Olympics but he didn’t make it into the team.
BACKGROUND INFO
Position: F
Height: 198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Date of Birth: 24/12/1995
Nationality: Nigerian
Previous clubs:
2018 Rouen Metropole Basket
2018–19 Denain ASC Voltaire
2019–2020 UJAP Quimper
2020–2021 Orleans
Started playing “serious” basketball in Australia for Lake Ginninderra where he was for a time a teammate with NBA player Dante Exum. After that he played for two years at the Northeast Community College in the USA and in both seasons he earned first team all-region honors. Later he transfered to UC Davis where he spend the next three years and was amongst the best players in his team. Started his pro career in France in their 2nd league where he played for two seasons and last year had a great season for Orleans in French ProA too.
VIDEO REPORT:
OFFENSE
Shooting: Chima is not the best shooter from distance. He can make some catch & shoot shots here and there but not really a big threat behind the arc. He also isn’t taking many shots, maybe trying once or twice per game. The release doesn’t look that bad though and I think he could be used as a stretch forward more often even though he is not that consistent as a shooter but with more repetition he could become a decent scoring option.
Slashing: He is not a player that would attack a lot with drives in isolation. He usually has the advantage in quickness but his handles are too poor. Attacks more often on the go and way better in catch & drive situations but overall not a player that will score many points with drives.
Post Up: Chima can post up some players sometimes and he is showing some solid feel down low. Has a balanced and quick spin but too many times he comes behind the backboard and tries to finish under some difficult angles. Not afraid of contact and can draw some fouls with his physicality but has some room to improve as an around the rim finisher.
Off-Ball Movement & Cutting: On the other hand, Chima is very dangerous when playing off-ball. Has great court awareness and feel for cuts and just feels it when it is wise to cut to the rim. With his athleticism it is hard to stop him when he has the momentum and also able to catch balls high above the rim and make some alley oops. Very efficient as a cutter and I expect a lot of points from him from cuts in Manresa too.
Transition: Chima is a really great runner but uses that advantage too rarely. If he would run the floor more often and look for more opportunities in transition he could score a few more points per game. Not a player that would push the ball forward but knows his lane and runs directly towards the rim.
Offensive Rebounding: Offensive rebounding is also a pretty big part of his offensive game. He has a relentless motor and the engine is always running. There are no lost balls and goes for offensive rebounds whenever there is an opportunity. Great feel and instincts, even though he is not the tallest player on the court.
DEFENSE
Perimeter defense: Defensive potential from Chima is really high. Has quick and active feet and can cover basically all positions and has not many problems to switch and defend smaller guys on perimeter. Great reactions and reads and not giving up and letting easy points. The rotations are off sometimes and his closeouts could be a little better but he can make a big impact as a defender on perimeter.
Post Up Defense: His energy and motor can also be spotted in his post up defense. Not giving up, always fighting and not moved easily. Most players that try to attack him with post ups are bigger than Chima but they always have a hard time to get a good position or shot. Really competitive and not afraid to get physical. Probably won’t be able to defend the best of the best on post ups but definitely capable of defending most players in ACB too.
Rebounding: As mentioned in the offensive rebounding, Chima has great feel and timing for rebounds. With his athleticism. motor and energy he goes for every ball and can outrebound bigger players too. Even though he is just 6’6 tall, he averaged 10 rebounds per36 minutes in a physical French league so this already tells something about his rebounding qualities. Definitely can have similar rebounding numbers in Spain too.
Blocks: His block numbers aren’t the highest but he is a pretty good rim protector. Contest shots and makes an impact defensively so the block numbers aren’t telling the full story here. His anticipation for blocks is solid, especially when rotating from the weak side.
SUMMARY
Chima Moneke brings relentless energy and hustle to the floor every night. Offensively he is very good when playing off-ball and if he becomes a little more active and effective in shots from distance he could be even more dangerous. Can play outside and inside but not that efficient as a creator with the ball in his hands.
In defense he can defend most positions and not be a liability in any situation. Great energy, plays physical and gives his best every night and most teams on any level would love to have a player like Chima in their team and I expect a very good season from him in Manresa.
