Arinze Onuaku facts for kids
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Onuaku with Maccabi
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| Center | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 13, 1987 Lanham, Maryland, U.S. |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 275 lb (125 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Syracuse (2005–2010) |
| NBA Draft | 2010 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2011–2019 |
| Career history | |
| 2011 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2011 | Neptūnas Klaipėda |
| 2012–2013 | Canton Charge |
| 2013 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2013–2014 | Canton Charge |
| 2014 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2014 | →Canton Charge |
| 2014 | Canton Charge |
| 2014 | Chongqing Flying Dragons |
| 2014–2015 | Canton Charge |
| 2015 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 2015–2016 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 2016 | Meralco Bolts |
| 2016–2017 | Orlando Magic |
| 2017 | Hunan Yongsheng |
| 2018 | Zhejiang Golden Bulls |
| 2018 | Meralco Bolts |
| 2019 | Al-Riffa SC |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Arinze Christopher Onuaku (born July 13, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a center, which is a key position in basketball. Arinze played college basketball for Syracuse University before starting his professional career.
Contents
High School Basketball Journey
Arinze Onuaku started his high school basketball journey at DuVal High School in Lanham, Maryland. In 2003, after his second year, he moved to Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. During his final year in 2004–05, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his team. He helped his team achieve a 12–11 record that season.
College Career at Syracuse
Freshman Year and Academic Success
When Arinze started at Syracuse, he quickly showed he was a great student. He was named to the Big East Conference All-Academic Team. He also earned a spot on the SU Athletic Director's Honor Roll in his first two semesters. In his first year, he played 29 games, averaging 2.0 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.
Sophomore Season and Injury
In October 2006, Arinze had surgery on his left knee. Because of this, he took a "redshirt" year for the 2006–07 season. This meant he could focus on recovery and still have four years of playing eligibility later. He continued to excel in academics, earning Big East Conference All-Academic Team honors again. He also made the SU Athletic Director's Honor Roll for the second year in a row.
Strong Return in Redshirt Sophomore Year
After his recovery, Arinze had a fantastic redshirt sophomore season. He was second in his conference and ninth in the entire country for field-goal percentage, making 62.8% of his shots. He continued his academic success, making the Big East Conference All-Academic Team for the third time. In 35 games, he averaged 12.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Junior and Senior Seasons
In his junior year, Arinze continued to be a strong player. He averaged 10.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 38 games. In his senior season, he reached a big milestone. He scored his 1,000th point for Syracuse on December 10, 2009. Sadly, in March 2010, he suffered a leg injury during a tournament game. He finished his college career with impressive stats. He holds the Syracuse record for the highest field goal percentage at .648. He also ranks 11th all-time with 148 blocked shots.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting in the D-League (2010–11)
After college, Arinze was not chosen in the 2010 NBA draft. However, he soon joined the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA Development League (now called the G-League) in March 2011.
Playing in Lithuania (2011–12)
In September 2011, Arinze signed with Klaipėdos Neptūnas in Lithuania for the 2011–12 season. Unfortunately, he had to leave the team in December 2011 due to another knee injury.
Return to the D-League (2012–13)
Arinze returned to the NBA Development League in November 2012. He was first picked by the Reno Bighorns but was quickly traded to the Canton Charge. His strong play earned him a spot on the Futures All-Star roster for the 2013 NBA D-League All-Star Game.
NBA Opportunities and Overseas Play (2013–14)
In July 2013, Arinze played for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Summer League. He then signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in August. He later returned to the Canton Charge. For the second year in a row, he was named to the Futures All-Star team for the 2014 NBA D-League All-Star Game.
Arinze also had a chance to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA, signing two 10-day contracts in February and March 2014. He was often sent back and forth between the Cavaliers and the Canton Charge. After his time with the Cavaliers, he played for the Chongqing Flying Dragons in China during May and June 2014.
More NBA Chances (2014–15)
In July 2014, Arinze played in the NBA Summer League again, this time for the Indiana Pacers and the New Orleans Pelicans. He signed with the Pacers in September but was later waived. He then rejoined the Canton Charge. For the third time, he was named to the Futures All-Star team for the 2015 NBA D-League All-Star Game.
In April 2015, Arinze signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves to help them with player injuries. He made his debut for the Timberwolves, scoring 6 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in a game.
Playing in Israel and the Philippines (2015–16)
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In July 2015, Arinze played in the NBA Summer League for the Indiana Pacers and the Brooklyn Nets. In October 2015, he signed a three-month contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, a famous team in Israel. He left the team in January 2016.
In February 2016, Arinze joined the Meralco Bolts in the Philippines. He played so well that he won the PBA Best Import of the Conference Award. This award is given to the best foreign player in the league.
Orlando Magic and China (2016–17)
Arinze played for the Orlando Magic's Summer League team in July 2016. He then signed with the Orlando Magic in September 2016. He played in eight games for them before being waived in January 2017. In June 2017, he signed with Hunan Yongsheng in China for their 2017 season.
Later Career (2017–19)
In February 2018, Arinze signed with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls in China. He later returned to the Meralco Bolts in the Philippines in March 2018. His last known professional team was Al-Riffa SC in 2019.
The Basketball Tournament
Arinze Onuaku also played in a special tournament called The Basketball Tournament in 2018. He played for a team called Boeheim's Army. In four games, he averaged 9.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game. His team made it to the Northeast Regional Championship before losing.
Personal Life
Arinze Onuaku is the son of Christopher and Anastasia Onuaku. He has three siblings: Ify, Chinanu, and Michael. His brother Chinanu is also a professional basketball player, just like Arinze.
See also
In Spanish: Arinze Onuaku para niños
