Gabe Muoneke facts for kids
Nnadubem Gabriel Enyinaya Muoneke, born on February 7, 1978, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a professional basketball player from Nigeria and America. Even though he was born in the United States, he played for the Nigerian national team in international games.
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Early Life and College Basketball
Muoneke went to Cypress Falls High School in Houston, Texas. After high school, he studied at the University of Texas at Austin. He graduated in 2000 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. He was a starting player for the university's basketball team for four years. He is one of the top 15 players in the history of University of Texas basketball for both scoring points and getting rebounds.
Professional Basketball Journey
After college, Muoneke was not chosen in the NBA draft. He then played for teams like the Columbus Riverdragons (now Austin Spurs) and the Roanoke Dazzle in the NBDL. He also played in several NBA summer leagues for teams such as the Vancouver Grizzlies and the New Orleans Hornets. Muoneke signed temporary contracts with NBA teams like the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Charlotte Bobcats, and Utah Jazz, but he was later released from these teams.
Playing in Different Countries
Muoneke played basketball all over the world. He played for the Ponce Lions in Puerto Rico, Pınar Karşıyaka in Turkey, and the Beijing Olympians in China. He also played in South Korea for the Busan KTF Magic Wings and Seoul SK Knights. Other teams he played for include Caceres in Spain and Saba Battery in Iran.
Notable Moments in China
While playing in China, Muoneke set many scoring records. He was one of the top scorers in the country for all three seasons he played there. During his time with the Yunnan Running Bulls, an incident happened after a game. As Muoneke and his family were leaving the stadium, some players from the Shanghai Sharks team confronted them. Muoneke was not injured in the incident. The players involved were later fined and suspended.
Later Career and Retirement
In late 2007, Muoneke signed with Saski Baskonia, a top team in Spain. He played for them for a while before his contract ended. He then signed with ASVEL Villeurbanne in 2008 but was released. He briefly signed with the Utah Jazz again before being waived. In 2009, at the age of 30, Muoneke decided to retire from professional basketball.
Life After Basketball
After retiring from basketball, Muoneke started a new career. In 2010, he began working in the oil and gas industry in Africa. He has since started his own company in Nigeria, which is his parents' home country.
Career
Fort Wayne Fury (2000)- Chicago Skyliners (2000)
- Trenton Shooting Stars (2000)
Pınar Karşıyaka (2000–2001)
Boca Juniors (2001)- Columbus Riverdragons (2001–2002)
Santurce Crabbers (2002)
Purefoods TJ Hot Dogs (2002)- Roanoke Dazzle (2002–2003)
CB Cáceres (2003)
Beijing Aoshen (2003–2004)- Coamo Marathon Runners (2004)
Busan KTF Magic Wings (2004–2005)- Coamo Marathon Runners (2005)
- Seoul SK Knights (2005–2006)
- Ponce Lions (2006)
- Zhejiang Guangsha (2006–2007)
Saba Battery (2007)- Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2007)
- TAU Cerámica (2007–2008)
- Saba Battery (2008)
ASVEL Villeurbanne (2008)- Yunnan Bulls (2008–2009)
See also
In Spanish: Gabe Muoneke para niños
