1. Early life
Ntilikina was born on July 28, 1998, in Ixelles, Belgium. His parents were originally from Rwanda. At the age of three, he moved to Strasbourg, France, where he spent his childhood. He began his youth basketball career at five years old, playing for St-Joseph Strasbourg. When he was 15, he joined the youth academy of Strasbourg IG, an acclaimed French basketball club.
In April 2014, Ntilikina was invited to participate in the Jordan Brand Classic International Game, where he contributed six points, three rebounds, and one assist in 23 minutes off the bench. During the 2014-15 season, he helped SIG Strasbourg's youth team secure a French Youth League Championship title. In February 2016, he further demonstrated his potential by attending the "Basketball Without Borders Global Camp" in Toronto, Canada, held during the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend.
2. Professional career
Frank Ntilikina's professional basketball journey began in France, leading him to the NBA and eventually back to Europe.
2.1. SIG Strasbourg (2015-2017)
Ntilikina made his professional debut with SIG Strasbourg on April 4, 2015, playing 15 minutes in a LNB Pro A contest against Boulogne-sur-Mer during the 2014-15 season. In December 2015, he officially signed a professional contract with SIG Strasbourg, which was set to run until June 30, 2019. On October 15, 2015, he made his EuroLeague debut, scoring one point in 12 minutes and 16 seconds of play against KK Crvena zvezda.
During the 2015-16 Pro A season, Ntilikina appeared in 32 games, averaging 1.2 points per game. His performance earned him the prestigious LNB Pro A Best Young Player award. He continued to excel in the 2016-17 season, becoming a pivotal member of the Strasbourg team. He played in 45 games, averaging 19.3 minutes per game, and successfully won his second consecutive Pro A Best Young Player award.
2.2. NBA draft (2017)
In April 2017, Frank Ntilikina declared his eligibility for the 2017 NBA draft. By the NBA draft's entry deadline on June 12, he was one of only 10 international underclassmen who remained in the draft. Ntilikina also received an invitation to the green room on draft night, a selection typically reserved for top prospects. The night before the draft, he played Game 4 of the LNB Pro A Finals with SIG Strasbourg, immediately traveling to Brooklyn, New York, to attend the draft in person. This game marked his final appearance for SIG Strasbourg, as his team lost the LNB Pro A Finals to Élan Chalon.
Leading up to the draft, there was considerable speculation that the Dallas Mavericks would select Ntilikina with the ninth overall pick. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban publicly stated the team desired a "pass-first point guard" and was open to a "project," characteristics that fit Ntilikina's profile. However, when the New York Knicks chose Ntilikina with the eighth overall pick, the Mavericks subsequently selected point guard Dennis Smith Jr.. Ntilikina was also rumored to be highly regarded by the Knicks' front office and coaching staff, with whom he had a personal meeting.
2.3. New York Knicks (2017-2021)
On June 22, 2017, Ntilikina was officially selected by the New York Knicks as the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. He signed his contract with the Knicks on July 5, 2017. During his rookie year, Ntilikina was the second-youngest active player in the NBA, only older than Ike Anigbogu.
He made his NBA debut on October 19, 2017, in a 105-84 loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ntilikina scored his first NBA points on October 28 against the Brooklyn Nets in a 107-86 victory, recording nine points, two rebounds, five assists, and one steal during the Knicks' home opener. On January 15, 2018, he achieved his first career double-double with 10 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, two blocks, and one steal in a 119-104 win, also against the Brooklyn Nets. On January 24, 2018, he was selected to represent Team World in the Rising Stars Challenge during the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend. Despite these moments, his rookie season in New York was widely considered underwhelming, and he was often labeled a draft bust by many observers.
In his second season, Ntilikina's playing time was limited to 43 games due to various injuries. Entering his third season, he was coming off a strong performance in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. In the early part of the season, he took over the starting point guard duties and began to display significant defensive prowess. On November 23, 2019, Ntilikina recorded a career-high six steals in a 111-104 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. However, similar to his previous two seasons, he struggled with his shooting, which eventually led to his demotion in favor of Elfrid Payton.
2.4. Dallas Mavericks (2021-2023)
On September 16, 2021, Ntilikina signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He made his debut for the team on October 21, 2021, playing four minutes in an 87-113 loss against the Atlanta Hawks.
2.5. Charlotte Hornets (2023-2024)
On August 5, 2023, Ntilikina signed with the Charlotte Hornets. His tenure with the team was brief, as he was waived by the Hornets on February 8, 2024.
2.6. Partizan Belgrade (2024-present)
On June 20, 2024, Ntilikina returned to European basketball by signing a two-year contract with Partizan Mozzart Bet. The team competes in the Basketball League of Serbia (KLS), the Adriatic League, and the EuroLeague.
3. National team career
Frank Ntilikina has represented France in several international competitions at both the youth and senior levels, achieving significant success.
At the youth level, he helped the French Under-16 junior national team win the 2014 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship. In this tournament, he averaged 7.4 points per game, 2.0 assists per game, 1.6 rebounds per game, and one steal per game. In the 2016 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, Ntilikina was instrumental in leading France's Under-18 national team to victory. In the championship game against the Under-18 Lithuanian team, he delivered a remarkable performance, scoring 31 points, including seven-for-ten from three-point range. Throughout the tournament, he averaged 15.2 points per game, 4.5 assists per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, and 2.2 steals per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and an impressive 58.6 percent from long distance, earning him Most Valuable Player honors. Earlier, in September 2015, at the FIBA European Under-18 All-Star Game, Ntilikina contributed 13 points and four rebounds, along with a game-high eight assists.
As a member of the senior French national team, Ntilikina played a key role in their success at major international events. He helped France secure a bronze medal at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He also earned a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and another silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
4. Career statistics
Frank Ntilikina's key basketball statistics recorded throughout his professional career are presented below.
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
4.1. Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | New York | 78 | 9 | 21.9 | .364 | .318 | .721 | 2.3 | 3.2 | .8 | .2 | 5.9 |
| 2018-19 | New York | 43 | 16 | 21.0 | .337 | .287 | .767 | 2.0 | 2.8 | .7 | .3 | 5.7 |
| 2019-20 | New York | 57 | 26 | 20.8 | .393 | .321 | .864 | 2.1 | 3.0 | .9 | .3 | 6.3 |
| 2020-21 | New York | 33 | 4 | 9.8 | .367 | .479 | .444 | .9 | .6 | .5 | .1 | 2.7 |
| 2021-22 | Dallas | 58 | 5 | 11.8 | .399 | .342 | .960 | 1.4 | 1.2 | .5 | .1 | 4.1 |
| 2022-23 | Dallas | 47 | 5 | 12.9 | .364 | .254 | .667 | 1.3 | 1.2 | .3 | .1 | 2.9 |
| 2023-24 | Charlotte | 5 | 0 | 8.6 | .111 | .125 | 1.000 | 1.2 | .8 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Career | 321 | 65 | 17.0 | .369 | .320 | .762 | 1.8 | 2.2 | .7 | .2 | 4.8 | |
4.2. Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | New York | 3 | 0 | 1.3 | .000 | .000 | - | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| 2022 | Dallas | 12 | 0 | 10.3 | .333 | .300 | 1.000 | 1.0 | .8 | .7 | .1 | 1.9 |
| Career | 15 | 0 | 8.5 | .320 | .286 | 1.000 | .8 | .6 | .5 | .1 | 1.5 | |