Daniel Oturu facts for kids
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Oturu with Anadolu Efes in 2024
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| Hapoel Tel Aviv | |
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| Center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | September 20, 1999 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Nigerian |
| High school | Cretin-Derham Hall (Saint Paul, Minnesota) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Minnesota (2018–2020) |
| NBA Draft | 2020 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33rd overall |
| Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves | |
| Pro career | 2020–present |
| League | Ligat HaAl EuroLeague |
| Career history | |
| 2020–2021 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2021 | Windy City Bulls |
| 2021–2022 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2022–2023 | Windy City Bulls |
| 2023–2024 | Yukatel Merkezefendi |
| 2023–2024 | →Anadolu Efes |
| 2024–2025 | Anadolu Efes |
| 2025–present | Hapoel Tel Aviv |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Akinfayoshe Daniel Oturu (born September 20, 1999) is a professional basketball player. He plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel. This team is part of the Ligat HaAl and the EuroLeague. Daniel is from both America and Nigeria. Before becoming a professional, he played college basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
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High School Basketball Journey
Daniel Oturu played basketball for four years at Cretin-Derham Hall High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He grew a lot during these years, from 6 feet 6 inches as a freshman to 6 feet 9 inches as a junior. He also became very good at moving around the court and handling the ball.
Senior Year Success
In his final year, Daniel was amazing. He scored about 19 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked 6 shots per game. He became the best player in his school's history for all three of these stats. Daniel led his team to win the Class 4A state championship. They beat Apple Valley High School in a very close game. Daniel scored the winning dunk with only half a second left!
Even with his great play, he was not chosen for the all-tournament team. This was because he received a penalty for pushing an opposing player. After high school, Daniel was invited to play for the World Select team. He represented Nigeria, his parents' home country, at the Nike Hoop Summit. Many colleges wanted him to play for them. He chose to play for Minnesota.
College Basketball Career
Before his first year in college, Daniel had shoulder surgery. On December 24, 2018, he was named the best freshman player of the week in the Big Ten. This happened after he scored 20 points and got 11 rebounds in a big win. He scored 20 points again in another game later that season.
Sophomore Season Highlights
Daniel worked hard to get stronger during the offseason. This helped him play even better in his second year. On December 30, he was named Big Ten player of the week. He scored 21 points and got a career-high 20 rebounds in a game. On January 12, 2020, Daniel scored his highest ever points in a college game, with 30 points. He did this even though he had a shoulder injury.
At the end of his second season, Daniel was chosen for the Second Team All-Big Ten. He was also named to the All-Defensive Team.
Professional Basketball Journey
Starting in the NBA
Daniel Oturu was chosen by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 NBA draft. He was the 33rd pick overall. This made him the first player from the University of Minnesota to be drafted since 2004. Soon after, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He officially signed with the Clippers on November 28, 2020.
Playing for the Windy City Bulls
In August 2021, Daniel was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. However, they released him in September. A few days later, he signed with the Chicago Bulls, but was released again in October. Daniel then joined the Windy City Bulls as a player connected to the main team.
Short Time with the Toronto Raptors
On December 26, 2021, Daniel signed a short 10-day contract with the Toronto Raptors.
Back to the Windy City Bulls
After his time with the Raptors, Daniel returned to the Windy City Bulls in January 2022. He played for them in the NBA G League until 2023.
Playing in Turkey
In July 2023, Daniel signed with Yukatel Merkezefendi, a team in Turkey's top basketball league. Later that year, in December 2023, he was loaned to another Turkish team, Anadolu Efes. He then permanently joined Anadolu Efes for the 2024-2025 season.
Moving to Israel
As of July 2025, Daniel Oturu signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel. He will start playing for them in the 2025-2026 season.
About Daniel's Life
Both of Daniel Oturu's parents are from Nigeria. His mother, Deborah, is from Ife, and his father, Francis, is from Fadeyi, a suburb of Lagos. Daniel's father, Francis, used to play table tennis for the Nigerian national team. He moved to the United States because of his table tennis career.
Daniel has an older sister named Eunice. He also has two younger siblings, David and Priscilla.
His Names and Beliefs
Daniel's middle name, Daniel, was given to him by his mother. She thought it was a strong name from the Bible. His first name, Akinfayoshe, comes from the Yoruba words "Akin" (meaning hero) and "fayoshe" (meaning joy and happiness).
Daniel comes from a Christian family. Both of his parents are ministers at a church in Saint Paul, Minnesota. When he was growing up, his favorite NBA player was Kobe Bryant. He also looks up to Joel Embiid as a role model.
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Oturu para niños
