Frank Ntilikina is a Belgian-born French professional basketball player. He plays as a point guard for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA League.
Ntilikina received widespread international fame when he began playing professional basketball while still a teenager back in France.
Consequently, he got a rare opportunity to participate in the Jordan Brand Classic International Game held in 2014. Moreover, he later won the best young player award in the French League consecutively for two years.
After the New York Knicks picked him in the 2017 draft, he eventually began playing in the NBA.
Sadly, the French point guard has never had an impressive NBA season yet, even though he has already spent around five years in the world’s biggest basketball league.
Everyone knows the NBA is one of the most competitive leagues, and there is no place for bad performers.
So, if he does not get his form back soon and continues to perform the same, his NBA career might end too early.
However, Frank is still very young and has enough time to improve his gameplay. In addition, he has enough potential, which he has already displayed on the court while playing for his national team.
Let’s discover more about Frank’s life in this article. But, before that, here are some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Frank Bryan Ntilikina |
| Known As | Frank Ntilikina |
| Date of Birth | July 28, 1998 |
| Birth Place | Ixelles, Belgium |
| Nick Name | Frankie Smokes |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | French |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Age | 26 years old |
| Height | 1.93 m (6 feet 4 inches) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Faustin Ntilikina |
| Mother’s Name | Jacqueline Ntilikina |
| Siblings | Yves Ntilikina, Brice Ntilikina |
| Food Habit | Non-vegetarian |
| Education | Not available |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Girlfriend | None |
| Kids | None |
| Salary | $1.78 million |
| Profession | Professional basketball player |
| NBA Draft | 2017 / Round: 1 / 8th pick overall |
| Position | Point guard |
| League | National Basketball Association (NBA) |
| Active Years | (2015–Present) |
| Net Worth | $1-$5 million |
| Currently Plays For | Dallas Mavericks |
| Jersey Number (recent) | 21 |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Dunk (Kindle), Notebook, Jersey |
| Last Update | August 2024 |
Frank Ntilikina | Early Life & Family
Frank Bryan Ntilikina was born in Ixelles, Belgium, on July 28, 1998. He is the youngest son of Faustin and Jacqueline Ntilikina. Moreover, he has two older brothers, Yves and Brice, in the family.
Even though he was born in Belgium and holds French citizenship, Frank’s origin traces to the African nation, Rwanda. His mother, Jacqueline, had escaped to Europe in the 1990s when Rwanda was burning in the Civil War.
Later, when he was just three years old, his whole family migrated to Strasbourg, France. He grew up in that new city and learned to play basketball when he was very young.
However, it was his brothers from whom he inherited his love for the sport. They had learned the game when they were in Belgium and played with their little brother in the nearby park.
His brothers were very good at studies, and basketball was their favorite pastime. However, Frank only liked to play basketball and began playing tournaments when he was five.
Besides, he had a great interest in music and songs since childhood.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline worked in various companies to fulfill her children’s needs. However, her earnings often used to be short to meet all expenses, so she had a tough time procuring food.
She still has a sad memory of standing in a long queue in front of food bands during those times of struggle. Now, all her sons have become successful in their respective fields of work.
Frank’s eldest brother, Yves, is a surgeon, and his other brother, Brice, works as a physical therapist. Likewise, Frank continued playing basketball, and now he is an NBA player.
Frank Ntilikina | Basketball Career
Early Career in France
Frank had already acquired the necessary basketball skills while participating in different junior tournaments for St-Joseph Strasbourg school since the age of five. Eventually, he joined the youth academy of the French basketball club in 2013.
He made rapid progress while spending two years in the academy.
Impressed by his performance, he was invited to the Jordan Brand Classic International match in 2014, in which he had a great time. Playing about 23 minutes, he posted six points and three rebounds.
Additionally, he led Strasbourg’s youth team to the French Youth League Championship victory in 2015 before making his professional league debut.
He played two seasons with the SIG Strasbourg club in the LNB Pro A, where he had an outstanding performance. He was the winner of Pro A Best Young Player consecutively in 2016 and 2017.
<<< Zaza Pachulia: Early Life, Career & Family >>>
Soon he caught the attention of American basketball agents and became one of the prospects who might land in the NBA. Eventually, he decided to leave Europe and declared for the NBA draft in 2017.
NBA Career
Amidst the speculation that the Dallas Mavericks will pick him in the draft, Frank was chosen by the New York Knicks as the draft’s first-round 8th pick. He signed a contract with the Knicks on July 5, 2017.
He became the second-youngest athlete to appear in that year’s NBA with that signing.
The Knicks had made him play as a mystery player against the Oklahoma City Thunders on October 19, but they lost the match by 105-84. However, they trusted his caliber, and as a result, he played 78 games in his first NBA season.
But, sadly, his performance was below average. He could average only 5.9 points and 2.3 rebounds. The only commendable thing about his performance was his assists per game.
His second season with the club was worse than his rookie season, in which he averaged 5.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. To make it worst, he missed many games due to injuries.
Even though many claimed that Frank proved to be a draft bust following his continuous bad performances, the Knicks did not give up on him and tested him for yet another season.
However, Frank showed no improvement, and after a poor performance in the fourth season, the club eventually traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in 2021.
He is with the Mavericks in the ongoing 2021-22 season, but his game is still miserable, averaging 4.3 points per game in over 50 matches.
International Career
Besides his club career, Frank Ntilikina has represented the French national team of different age categories in various international tournaments. He won his first international trophy when they won the 2014 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship in Latvia.
Additionally, he was the Most Valuable player at the 2016 FIBA Europe U-18 Championship, where he averaged 15.2 points and 4.5 assists in helping France win the event.
Furthermore, he has had many memorable performances while playing for his national team. To be precise, his international career is far more satisfactory compared to his professional career.
Awards & Achievements
Some of his awards and achievements include:
- FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship MVP (2016)
- Pro A Best Young Player (2016, 2017)
- Gold at FIBA Europe U-16 Championship (2014)
- Silver at Tokyo Summer Olympics (2020)
- Gold at FIBA Europe U-18 Championship (2016)
- Bronze at the FIBA World Cup (2019)
Net Worth, Contracts & Salary
According to most sources, the French point guard, Frank Ntilikina, has a net worth ranging from $1 to $5 million.
He had started making money playing professional basketball in France. But there is no information regarding how much he made there.
However, he presently earns a large amount of money, mainly through NBA league games. Frank had signed a four-year contract worth around $18 million with the New York Knicks when he began his NBA journey.
The Knicks paid him about 3.5 million for his rookie season alone. Many had speculated that his salary would increase exponentially in the years to come, but unfortunately, his performance declined.
As a result, the overseas player could not earn as expected. Ntilikina is currently playing for the Dallas Mavericks after signing a two-year contract worth $3.8 million in 2021.
Frank is the 15th best-paid athlete in the Mavericks squad in the ongoing 2021-22 season. His annual salary is approximately $1.78 million.
In aggregate, he has already made around $18.6 million in his NBA career to date.
Furthermore, the young international basketball star earns money through various other means. Ntilikina is sought after by different renowned brands.
He recently signed a deal with the Adidas shoe brand on February 20, 2020. The company has made him a brand ambassador in France with that signing. Moreover, he has been featured as a model during various fashion events.
<<< Joe Alexander: Injuries, Career & Leagues >>>
Likewise, he often gets featured on popular magazine covers. In 2017, the basketball player had appeared on the Vogue cover alongside model Gigi Hadid.
Injuries
As the 2021-22 NBA season is coming to an end, Frank sprained his right ankle recently during practice.
Following his injury, he missed a crucial match against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 30. Likewise, the team has confirmed that he won’t appear in an upcoming game against the LA Lakers as he has not recovered from injury yet.
However, it is not the first time he has suffered an injury. He had missed nearly half the matches in the 2018-19 season due to a groin injury.
Frank Ntilikina | Personal Life
Frank is currently single and is not dating anyone. Similarly, there is no rumor about his previous relationship on the internet. So, most probably, he has never been in a relationship yet.
The young French talent has never had any impactful performances throughout his NBA career. Considering the standards of the NBA, he still has to work hard if he wants to remain in the league.
So, he is working on his game and wants to distance himself from love affairs at least for some more time. But, everyone knows he is such a sweetheart, and many women desire him.
So, if he ever gets entangled in a relationship in the future, we will let you know.
Author of the Children’s Book
Frank has recently released the French-language book titled Dunk. The book came out in the market in October 2021 and can be found on Amazon online.
The athlete said that the book is about his own life as a kid and is targeted at young children. He added that it would teach them to dream big and instructs them never to give up until they achieve it.
Moreover, it contains fantastic short stories that recount memories of the athlete while growing up in Strasbourg, France, and, of course, lots of stuff about basketball.
However, as it seems, the book is not yet published in the English version.
Frank Ntilikina | Age, Weight & Height
As of 2024, Frank Ntilikina is 26 years old.
About his physical stats, he stands tall at a height of 1.93 meters (6 feet 4 inches) and weighs around 200 lb (91 kg).
Social Media
<<< Al Thornton: Net Worth, Wife & Basketball >>>
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Frank Ntilikina a free agent?
No, Frank Ntilikina is not a free agent. He is currently associated with the Dallas Mavericks after signing a contract on September 16, 2021.
What is Frank Ntilikina’s wingspan?
Fran Ntilikina has a wingspan of around 2.16 meters.
