Who Is Ekpe Udoh, The NBA Power Forward? 6 Things You Should Know

The name Ekpe Udoh may not be familiar to some, but for those who follow newcomers from around the world into the NBA, he is certainly a popular young man on the rise. Ekpe is a US-born professional basketball player whose giant appearance is quite intimidating both on and off the court. His story tells what hard work and determination can do to an athlete whose passion is matched by dedication and the right use of strength and skill. To date, his outstanding performance on the field has made him one of the most popular signatories and strikers of Utah Jazz in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Here you will find more compelling and interesting facts you should know about the Champ.

Who is Ekpe Udoh The NBA Power Forward?

Ekpedeme Friday Udoh (popularly known as Ekpe Udoh) was born on May 20, 1987, in Edmond, Oklahoma, the United States, the son of father Sam Udoh and mother Alice Udoh. When he lived in Oklahoma as a child, he was first interested in soccer, but for some reason, his parents never liked him, as they wanted him to spend more time studying. Nevertheless, when he came to Edmond Santa Fe High School, Ekpe was encouraged by his couples to try out their school’s basketball team because of his size. He gave in to this and quickly developed a passion for the game.

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After graduating high school, Ekpe was accepted into the University of Michigan, where he quickly joined the Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team and played for three years. There, between the 2007-2008 season, he led the Big Ten Conference in a total of 92 blocked shots with an average of 2.9 per game. He later moved to the University of Baylor, where he averaged 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 8.4 points in 103 games.

Due to his impressive skills, the young baller earned the following awards, among others: Big 12 All-Rookie Team, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, All-American Honors of the Associated Press. He decided to give up his last season in college when he declared for the NBA draft on April 13, 2010

6 Facts You Should Know About Him

1. Nigerian Parents

For many who found his name somewhat strange for a black American, Ekpe Udoh, although born in the United States, has a Nigerian heritage through his parents Sam Udoh and Alice Udoh. Ekpe’s parents are well-educated people from Ikot-Oku-Okon, who belong to the Efik tribe in Nigeria, and his father Sam came to the United States in 1952 in search of a better life for him and his wife.

When he immigrated, he did not know his date of birth as his parents had no formal education. Nevertheless, Sam got a job while he was studying at the same time. After two years he graduated and made a career as a radiology technician, which made him financially stable enough to bring his wife Alice to the United States. Soon after, Ekpe Udo was born and he also has three siblings, a younger brother, Eddie Udoh, and two lovely younger sisters, Sefon Udoh and Esther Udoh.

2. Professional Career

Since there are 30 selections (60 selections in total) for a particular NBA draft in two separate rounds, Ekpe Udoh had the chance to be selected by the Golden State Warriors as the sixth overall selection for the 2010 NBA draft. He is currently playing as a power forward for NBA Utah Jazz, an agreement he signed on July 21, 2017.

3. Ekpe Udoh Net worth 

Ekpe Udoh is a young man who lives the dream he always imagined. Thanks to his skills on the court, he has been able to achieve the success that most men his age can only dream of, especially considering the kind of career he is pursuing. So, with his years as a professional athlete, he smiles happily on the bench with a whopping $12 million in net worth.

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4. Higher Education 

Although the NBA star makes so much money playing basketball that he could have dropped out of school altogether, he decided to finish his college education to have a Plan B, please his parents and set a good example to his sisters. The power forward later returned to Baylor University and finished college.

5. Ekpe Udoh Height and Weight

As with most contact sports that require athletes to have a certain body structure, basketball favors athletes who are much taller and slimmer in the build because they need to be able to perform impressive dunking. In Ekpe Udoh, his appearance as a modern giant alone is enough to make even some of the biggest guys in basketball look like dwarves. With a height of 2.08 m (6 feet) paired with a good weight of 111 kg (245 lbs), you can imagine how massive he is.

6. Relationship

Ekpedeme Friday Udoh does not have a girlfriend yet and he is not married to anyone. To prove this, he published a tweet on September 8, 2012, which says: “I need a girlfriend/wife. Okay, that is all. Have a nice day.” This received immediate reactions from his followers, who had suggestions for potential spouses for him, while some hinted that he was actually looking for a groupie and not a wife. Funnily enough, one fan was disappointed that he wanted a wife at all and thought Udoh was too young for that.