Chimezie Metu facts for kids
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Metu with FC Barcelona in 2025
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| Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Power forward / center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 22, 1997 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | Nigerian / American |
| High school | Lawndale (Lawndale, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | USC (2015–2018) |
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Round: 2 / Pick: 49th overall |
| Selected by the San Antonio Spurs | |
| Pro career | 2018–present |
| Career history | |
| 2018–2020 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 2018–2020 | →Austin Spurs |
| 2020–2023 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2023–2024 | Phoenix Suns |
| 2024 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2024–2025 | FC Barcelona |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Chimezie Chukwudum Metu (born March 22, 1997) is a professional basketball player. He has both Nigerian and American nationality. He last played for FC Barcelona in Spain. Before playing professionally, he played college basketball for the USC Trojans.
Contents
Early Life and High School Basketball
Chimezie Metu was born in Los Angeles, California. When he was six years old, he moved to Nigeria with his father. He lived there for six years and played soccer.
Later, he returned to California and attended Lawndale High School. He was a highly-rated basketball player. Many experts thought he was one of the best young players in the country. On May 12, 2014, he decided to play college basketball at the University of Southern California (USC).
College Basketball Career
Starting Strong at USC
As a freshman at USC, Metu played in 34 games. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He also blocked 54 shots, which was a great start for a new player.
Becoming a Key Player
In his second year, Metu became a starter in all 36 games. He improved a lot, averaging 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He helped his team reach the second round of the 2017 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Because of his big improvement, he was named the Pac-12 Most Improved Player in 2017. He also made the Second Team All-Pac-12.
Final College Season
In his junior year, Metu continued to play well. He averaged 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He was named to the First Team All-Pac-12. After this season, he decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft to become a professional player.
Professional Basketball Career
Joining the San Antonio Spurs (2018–2020)
On June 21, 2018, the San Antonio Spurs picked Chimezie Metu in the NBA draft. He was the 49th player chosen overall. He joined the Spurs' team for the NBA Summer League.
Metu officially signed with the Spurs on September 4, 2018. He made his first NBA appearance on October 20, 2018. He played for a few minutes, scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds. The Spurs later decided to release him from the team on November 20, 2020.
Playing for the Sacramento Kings (2020–2023)
After leaving the Spurs, Metu signed with the Sacramento Kings on November 28, 2020. He first signed a special "two-way contract" with them. This type of contract allows players to play for both the NBA team and its minor league team.
On April 28, 2021, the Kings signed him to a longer contract. He played in many games for them. A memorable moment came on December 29, 2021. Metu hit a game-winning three-point shot right as the game ended. This shot gave Sacramento a 95–94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Time with the Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)
On July 4, 2023, Metu signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns. He had a great game on Christmas Day, scoring 23 points and getting 19 rebounds. This was his career-high for rebounds in an NBA game.
In February 2024, Metu was part of a trade involving several teams. He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, but they waived him the next day.
Short Stint with the Detroit Pistons (2024)
On March 20, 2024, Metu signed a 10-day contract with the Detroit Pistons. He played well enough that the Pistons signed him for the rest of the season on March 30.
Moving to FC Barcelona (2024-2025)
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On July 30, 2024, Chimezie Metu signed a one-year contract with FC Barcelona. This team plays in Europe's top leagues, the Liga ACB and EuroLeague. He had a strong first season in Europe.
After recovering from a knee injury in November, Metu played even better. He became a very important player for Barcelona. He averaged 11 points per game in the EuroLeague. He also averaged 13.2 points in the Liga ACB.
Sadly, Metu's season ended early due to a serious injury. On March 25, 2025, he suffered an Achilles tendon injury during a EuroLeague game. He needed surgery and is expected to recover for at least nine months.
Playing for His Country
Chimezie Metu also plays for the Nigeria national basketball team. On August 27, 2019, he was chosen to be on the Nigerian team for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Career Statistics
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | San Antonio | 29 | 0 | 5.0 | .328 | .000 | .765 | 1.2 | .4 | .2 | .1 | 1.8 |
| 2019–20 | San Antonio | 18 | 0 | 5.8 | .571 | .000 | .769 | 1.8 | .6 | .2 | .3 | 3.2 |
| 2020–21 | Sacramento | 36 | 6 | 13.6 | .508 | .351 | .721 | 3.1 | .8 | .4 | .5 | 6.3 |
| 2021–22 | Sacramento | 60 | 20 | 21.3 | .452 | .306 | .780 | 5.6 | 1.0 | .9 | .5 | 8.9 |
| 2022–23 | Sacramento | 66 | 0 | 10.4 | .589 | .237 | .740 | 3.0 | .6 | .3 | .3 | 4.9 |
| 2023–24 | Phoenix | 37 | 5 | 12.1 | .508 | .294 | .884 | 3.0 | .5 | .5 | .2 | 5.0 |
| 2023–24 | Detroit | 14 | 7 | 29.4 | .500 | .302 | .952 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | .5 | 10.5 |
| Career | 260 | 38 | 13.7 | .495 | .298 | .787 | 3.5 | .8 | .5 | .4 | 5.9 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Sacramento | 3 | 0 | 2.0 | .000 | — | .667 | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .7 |
| Career | 3 | 0 | 2.0 | .000 | — | .667 | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .7 | |
EuroLeague
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | PIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | Barcelona | 24 | 2 | 20.0 | .624 | .364 | .750 | 4.8 | 1.0 | .6 | .6 | 11.0 | 11.8 |
| Career | 24 | 2 | 20.0 | .624 | .364 | .750 | 4.8 | 1.0 | .6 | .6 | 11.0 | 11.8 | |
Domestic Leagues (Europe)
| Year | Team | League | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 |  Barcelona |
ACB | 20 | 20.0 | .617 | .431 | .660 | 3.8 | 1.0 | .7 | .6 | 13.2 |
College Statistics
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | USC | 34 | 2 | 18.5 | .518 | .000 | .513 | 3.6 | .5 | .6 | 1.6 | 6.4 |
| 2016–17 | USC | 36 | 36 | 31.3 | .552 | .500 | .741 | 7.8 | 1.4 | .8 | 1.5 | 14.8 |
| 2017–18 | USC | 34 | 33 | 31.0 | .523 | .300 | .730 | 7.4 | 1.6 | .8 | 1.7 | 15.7 |
| Career | 104 | 71 | 27.0 | .533 | .302 | .692 | 6.3 | 1.2 | .7 | 1.6 | 12.3 | |
Personal Life
Chimezie Metu was born in Los Angeles. He spent his early childhood in California. Then, he moved to Nigeria with his father for six years. While living in Nigeria, he enjoyed playing soccer.
See also
In Spanish: Chimezie Metu para niños
