The following blog is how to create a custom image on a intel nuc with network drivers and end state being a esxi iso to build on your inuc
download net-community driver
https://flings.vmware.com/community-networking-driver-for-esxi/
download esxi base offline bundle – 7u3d
https://customerconnect.vmware.com/downloads/details?downloadGroup=ESXI70U3D&productId=974&rPId=89002
1. Open powershell as admin
2. copy files to temp directory
c:\temp VMware-ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-depot.zip & Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip
3. PS C:> cd temp
4. PS C:\temp> Add-EsxSoftwareDepot .\VMware-ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-depot.zip
5. PS C:\temp> Add-EsxSoftwareDepot .\Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip
6. PS C:\temp> New-EsxImageProfile -CloneProfile “ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-standard” -name “ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-NUC” -Vendor “VMware”
7. PS C:\temp> Add-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile “ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-NUC” -SoftwarePackage “net-community”
depends if you want a zip extract or iso extract both options below
8. PS C:\temp> Export-ESXImageProfile -ImageProfile “ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-NUC” -ExportToBundle -filepath ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-NUC.zip
9. PS C:\temp>Export-ESXImageProfile -ImageProfile “ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-NUC” -ExportToISO -filepath ESXi-7.0U3d-19482537-NUC.iso