Obinna Ralph Ekezie (born August 22, 1975) is a Nigerian former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player who played in the NBA and other leagues. His name, Obinna, means "Father's heart". He is a direct descendant of the 19th century Igbo warrior and businessman Duruike Akubugali, hence hails from Obor Autonomous Community in Orlu Urban Local Government Area of Imo State.

Career

A 6'10" 270 lb

center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

, Ekezie was selected with the 37th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft by the

Vancouver Grizzlies The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Vancouver. They were part of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team was established in 1995, along w ...

after playing with the

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

Terrapins Terrapins are one of several small species of turtle (order Testudines) living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae. The name " ...

from 1995–1999. Obinna prepared for college at

Worcester Academy Worcester Academy is a private school in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is the oldest educational institution founded in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, and one of the oldest day-boarding schools in the United States. A coeducational prepara ...

, graduating in 1995. Ekezie played for five NBA teams (1999–2005), and also professionally with

Red Star Belgrade Fudbalski klub Crvena zvezda ( sr-Cyrl, Фудбалски клуб Црвена звезда, lit=Red Star Football Club, ), commonly known as Red Star Belgrade in English-language media, is a Serbian professional football club based in Bel ...

(Serbia), Lottomatica Roma (Italy),Dynamo tabs big man Ekezie
November 29, 2006 and

Dynamo Moscow MGO VFSO "Dynamo" (russian: МГО ВФСО «Динамо»), commonly known as Dynamo Moscow (russian: Динамо Москва) is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. Founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky on 18 April 1923, Dynamo Moscow was the first ...

. Ekezie was invited to Atlanta Hawks training camp where he was a leading scorer averaging 11.8 points on 48.8 field goal percentage. Ekezie then suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on October 13, 2005, in an exhibition game after landing awkwardly. Ekezie is the founder of ZeepTravel and Wakanow, online businesses allowing travel services for those going to and from America and Africa.

Notes

External links

NBA.com player profile
@ basketballreference.com
Dynamo player profile
1975 births Living people Sportspeople from Port Harcourt Nigerian men's basketball players Centers (basketball) Worcester Academy alumni Maryland Terrapins men's basketball players Vancouver Grizzlies draft picks Vancouver Grizzlies players Washington Wizards players Dallas Mavericks players Los Angeles Clippers players KK Crvena zvezda players Columbus Riverdragons players Atlanta Hawks players Pallacanestro Virtus Roma players BC Dynamo Moscow players National Basketball Association players from Nigeria ABA League players Lega Basket Serie A players 1998 FIBA World Championship players Nigerian expatriate basketball people in Italy Nigerian expatriate basketball people in Serbia Nigerian expatriate basketball people in the United States Nigerian expatriate basketball people in Canada Nigerian expatriate basketball people in Russia {{Nigeria-basketball-bio-stub