David Nwaba facts for kids
Nwaba with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019
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| No. 2 – San-en NeoPhoenix | |
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| Shooting guard / small forward | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 14, 1993 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| High school | University (Los Angeles, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 219 lb (99 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 2016 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2016–present |
| League | B.League |
| Career history | |
| 2016–2017 | Los Angeles D-Fenders |
| 2017 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2017 | →Los Angeles D-Fenders |
| 2017–2018 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2018–2019 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2019–2020 | Brooklyn Nets |
| 2020–2022 | Houston Rockets |
| 2022–2023 | Motor City Cruise |
| 2024 | London Lions |
| 2024–present | San-en NeoPhoenix |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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David Ugochukwu Nwaba (born January 14, 1993) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays for the San-en NeoPhoenix team in Japan's B.League. Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for Santa Monica College and Cal Poly.
High School Career
David Nwaba went to University High School in Los Angeles. He was a top player there, earning the All-Western League Most Valuable Player award twice. In his final year, he scored about 22 points and grabbed 11.5 rebounds per game.
College Career
Nwaba first joined Hawaii Pacific, but then transferred to Santa Monica College in 2012. In the 2012–13 season, he was named the Player of the Year for the Western State Conference South Division. He averaged 20.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.
In 2013, Nwaba moved to Cal Poly. During his sophomore year (2013–14), he played in almost all games. He was known for his high shooting percentage, making 52.6% of his shots. He also scored 11.7 points and got 4.8 rebounds per game. He even scored a career-high 22 points in one game.
As a junior (2014–15), he continued to be a strong scorer, averaging 11.4 points per game. He had 16 games where he scored double-digits. In his senior year (2015–16), he averaged 12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. By the end of his time at Cal Poly, he had scored over 1,000 career points.
Professional Career
After college, David Nwaba started his professional journey.
Los Angeles D-Fenders (2016–2017)
After graduating in 2016, Nwaba joined the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the NBA Development League. In his first game, he scored 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. He played 40 games for the D-Fenders, averaging 14.1 points and 6.9 rebounds. His strong play helped the team reach the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers (2017)
On February 28, 2017, Nwaba signed a short contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his NBA debut that same night. He later signed a longer contract with the team. During his time with the Lakers, he played 20 games, averaging 6.0 points and 3.2 rebounds.
Chicago Bulls (2017–2018)
On July 14, 2017, the Chicago Bulls picked up Nwaba. He often started games and was praised for his defense. On February 22, 2018, he scored a career-high 21 points. His time with the Bulls was his most active, as he played the most games and had his highest averages in minutes, rebounds, and assists.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2018–2019)
Nwaba signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers on September 8, 2018. He faced some injuries during this season, missing games due to knee soreness and a sprained ankle. Despite the injuries, he played 51 games for the team.
Brooklyn Nets (2019–2020)
On July 17, 2019, Nwaba joined the Brooklyn Nets. He played in 20 games for them, averaging 5.2 points. Unfortunately, he suffered a serious injury to his Achilles tendon in December, which ended his season. He was later waived by the Nets.
Houston Rockets (2020–2022)
Nwaba signed a two-year deal with the Houston Rockets on June 23, 2020. In February 2021, he injured his wrist and missed several games. He returned briefly but was sidelined for the rest of the season. In September 2022, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but was waived by them shortly after.
Motor City Cruise (2022–2023)
After being waived, Nwaba joined the Motor City Cruise in the G-League. In his first season with the Cruise, he played 25 games. He averaged 16.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. He briefly signed with the Detroit Pistons in October 2023 but rejoined the Cruise. He played only three games in his second season before moving to play overseas.
London Lions (2024)
On January 8, 2024, Nwaba signed with the London Lions in the British Basketball League.
San-en NeoPhoenix (2024–present)
Most recently, on July 24, 2024, David Nwaba signed with the San-en NeoPhoenix in Japan's B.League, where he plays today.
Personal Life
David Nwaba's parents, Theodore and Blessing Nwaba, are from Nigeria. He has five siblings: two brothers, Victor and Alex, and three sisters, Jane, Precious, and Barbara. His sister Barbara is also a talented athlete. She is a professional heptathlete, which means she competes in seven different track and field events. Barbara even competed in the 2016 Olympics!
See also
In Spanish: David Nwaba para niños
