Ime Udoka
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| UCAM Murcia | |
|---|---|
| Small forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 9, 1977 Portland, Oregon |
| Nationality | U.S. / Nigerian |
| High school | Jefferson |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Portland State |
| NBA Draft | 2000 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2000–present |
| Career history | |
| Fargo-Moorhead Beez (2000–2001) Charleston Lowgators (2002–2004) Adirondack Wildcats (2003) Los Angeles Lakers (2004) Auna Gran Canaria (2004–2005) JA Vichy (2005) Fort Worth Flyers (2005–2006) New York Knicks (2006) Portland Trail Blazers (2006–2007) San Antonio Spurs (2007–2009, 2010–2011) Sacramento Kings (2009–2010) UCAM Murcia (2012-present) |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
| 2005–06 NBDL Joel Collier Sportsmanship Award[1] | |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Basketball | ||
Competitor for  Nigeria |
||
| African Championships | ||
| Bronze | 2005 Algeria | Nigeria |
| Bronze | 2011 Madagascar | Nigeria |
Ime Sunday Udoka (
/ˈiːmeɪ uːˈdoʊkə/ EE-may oo-DOH-kə; born August 9, 1977, in Portland, Oregon) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player. He plays internationally with the Nigeria national basketball team.
Udoka, a small forward, attended Portland's Jefferson High School, and the University of San Francisco, before transferring to Portland State University where he starred for the Vikings. He started his professional basketball career by playing in the NBDL with the Charleston Lowgators who drafted him with 39th overall pick in 2002 NBDL Draft.[2] He was called up to play with the Los Angeles Lakers on January 14, 2004, but was later waived. After a stint in Europe, he returned to the states and once again drafted in NBDL. This time he was drafted 3rd overall by Fort Worth Flyers in 2005 NBDL Draft.[3] He averaged 17.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game with the Flyers.[1] On April 6, 2006, Udoka was signed by the New York Knicks. Udoka was waived by the Knicks on September 11, 2006.
Udoka was the last player invited to his hometown Portland Trail Blazers training camp before the 2006–07 season, getting the invite only after Aaron Miles failed a physical. Despite the death of his father during the preseason,[4] Udoka impressed the coaching staff with his defense and professionalism, and improbably, made the team.[5] After having played in only 12 NBA games in his career, Udoka started in 75 games played in the 2006–07 season. He played 28.6 minutes per game while averaging 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 0.9 steals.
Though American-born, Udoka's father of Ibibio descent, was born in Nigeria,[4] which qualified him as a member of the Nigerian basketball squad, for whom he played at the 2006 FIBA World Championships. His older sister Mfon used to play in the WNBA. His mother, who died in late 2011, was a white American from Illinois.[6]
In 2007, Udoka signed a contract with the San Antonio Spurs.[1][7] Following the 2009 season, Udoka became a free agent, eventually re-signing with the Trail Blazers.[8] He was waived by the Blazers on October 22, 2009.[9]
On November 4, 2009, Udoka signed with the Sacramento Kings.[10]
On November 24, 2010, Udoka rejoined the San Antonio Spurs,[11] but he was waived on January 5, 2011.[12]
On December 15, 2011, Udoka signed with the New Jersey Nets. However, he was waived on December 23, 2011.
In January 2012 he signed with UCAM Murcia, a team in the Spanish ACB League.[13]
In November 2011, his girlfriend (actress Nia Long) gave birth to his first child, Kez Sunday Udoka.[14]
Contents |
[edit] NBA career statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
[edit] Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | 0 | 7.0 | .333 | .000 | .500 | 1.3 | .5 | .5 | .2 | 2.0 |
| 2005–06 | New York | 8 | 0 | 14.3 | .375 | .333 | .500 | 2.1 | .8 | .1 | .0 | 2.8 |
| 2006–07 | Portland | 75 | 75 | 28.6 | .461 | .406 | .742 | 3.7 | 1.5 | .9 | .2 | 8.4 |
| 2007–08 | San Antonio | 73 | 0 | 18.0 | .424 | .370 | .759 | 3.1 | .9 | .8 | .2 | 5.8 |
| 2008–09 | San Antonio | 67 | 3 | 15.4 | .383 | .328 | .609 | 2.8 | .8 | .5 | .2 | 4.3 |
| 2009–10 | Sacramento | 69 | 2 | 15.4 | .378 | .286 | .737 | 2.8 | .8 | .5 | .1 | 3.6 |
| Career | 296 | 80 | 13.7 | .420 | .361 | .712 | 3.1 | 1.0 | .7 | .2 | 5.5 |
[edit] Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–08 | San Antonio | 16 | 0 | 14.8 | .465 | .400 | .714 | 2.9 | 1.1 | .7 | .1 | 5.4 |
| 2008–09 | San Antonio | 5 | 0 | 20.8 | .350 | .125 | .400 | 4.6 | .8 | .8 | .2 | 3.4 |
| Career | 21 | 0 | 16.2 | .440 | .354 | .583 | 3.3 | 1.0 | .7 | .1 | 5.0 |
[edit] References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ime Udoka |
- ^ a b c http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA081407.Spurs.Udoka.en.35bc859.html Spurs: Udoka agrees to contract
- ^ NBDL: 2003-03 NBDL Draft Board
- ^ NBA Development League: 2005 NBA D-League Draft Board
- ^ a b Former Viking Ime Udoka Makes His Way In The NBA, published Feb. 14, 2007
- ^ Quick, Jason. "Blazers set roster, and Udoka is on team". The Oregonian, October 27, 2006. [1]
- ^ ESPN Nets Report, Dec. 15, 2011: "Udoka dealing with tragedy"
- ^ Spurs add Blazers' sniper Udoka, August 16, 2007
- ^ "Trail Blazers sign Ime Udoka" (Press release). Portland Trail Blazers. September 25, 2009. http://www.nba.com/blazers/news/trail_blazers_sign_ime_udoka_2009_09_25.html.
- ^ Portland Waives Udoka And Collins
- ^ Kings sign Udoka. Retrieved on November 4, 2009.
- ^ "Spurs sign Ime Udoka". spurs.com (San Antonio Spurs). 24 November 2010. http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/spurs_sign_ime_udoka_101124.html. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
- ^ "Spurs waive Ime Udoka". spurs.com (San Antonio Spurs). 5 January 2011. http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/spurs_waive_ime_udoka_110105.html. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
- ^ UCAM Murcia signs Ime Udoka, release Matt Walsh
- ^ Daily Mail, January 13, 2012: "My little man! Soul Food actress Nia Long beams as she shows off newborn son Kez Sunday for the first time"
[edit] External links
- Ime Udoka at NBA.com
- Ime Udoka at Basketball-Reference.com
- Ime Udoka at ESPN.com
- Ime Udoka Unofficial Fansite
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- 1977 births
- Living people
- African American basketball players
- American people of Nigerian descent
- Basketball players from Oregon
- CB Gran Canaria players
- Charleston Lowgators players
- Fort Worth Flyers players
- Junior college men's basketball players in the United States
- Liga ACB players
- Los Angeles Lakers players
- New York Knicks players
- Nigerian basketball players
- People from Portland, Oregon
- Portland State Vikings men's basketball players
- Portland Trail Blazers players
- Sacramento Kings players
- San Antonio Spurs players
- Small forwards
- Undrafted National Basketball Association players
