KZ Okpala facts for kids
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Okpala with Stanford in 2017
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| Small forward | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 28, 1999 Anaheim, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American / Nigerian |
| High school | Esperanza (Anaheim, California) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Stanford (2017–2019) |
| NBA Draft | 2019 / Round: 2 / Pick: 32nd overall |
| Selected by the Phoenix Suns | |
| Pro career | 2019–2023 |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2022 | Miami Heat |
| 2019–2020 | →Sioux Falls Skyforce |
| 2022–2023 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2023 | →Stockton Kings |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Chikezie Jake "KZ" Okpala was born on April 28, 1999. He is an American-Nigerian professional basketball player. He used to play for the Sacramento Kings in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before becoming a pro, he played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal team.
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Early Life
KZ Okpala was born in Anaheim, California. His parents, Martin and Mary Okpala, came from Nigeria. He started playing basketball when he was just four years old. Instead of joining youth leagues, he often played against adults. He found the youth leagues a bit too wild.
When he was in fourth grade, his family moved to Yorba Linda, California. There, he joined a local club team. As a child, KZ also played football and baseball. By the time he was 11, he decided to focus only on basketball.
High School Basketball
Okpala went to Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California. He grew a lot during his four years playing basketball there. He went from 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet 8 inches tall. He became a starter on the team in his second year.
In 2015, he made a game-winning shot at the buzzer. This shot helped his team beat El Dorado High School. As a junior, he was amazing, scoring 23 points and grabbing 8 rebounds per game. He led Esperanza to a conference title and was named Crestview League Player of the Year. A cool moment that year was when he dunked on an opponent from Orange High School.
In his final year, he got even better. He averaged 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. In November 2016, he scored 41 points in one game. He also set a school record with 46 points against Crossroads School. In March 2017, Okpala led Esperanza to win its first ever California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division II championship. He scored 22 points in that big game. He was again named Crestview League Player of the Year.
Many colleges wanted Okpala to play for them. He was considered one of the best high school players in California. In July 2016, he decided to play for Stanford.
College Basketball
Okpala missed his first 11 games at Stanford. This was because of academic reasons. On December 21, 2017, he finally played his first game. He scored 6 points against Kansas.
In March 2018, he had his first "double-double." This means he got double-digit numbers in two stats, like points and rebounds. He scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds against Arizona State. He scored a season-high 23 points against UCLA. As a freshman, he averaged 10 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
He started his second year strong in November 2018. He scored 29 points, had 10 rebounds, and 5 assists against Seattle. A few days later, he was named Pac-12 Conference player of the week. In January 2019, he scored 29 points again, this time against Arizona.
After his second year, Okpala decided to leave college early. He chose to enter the 2019 NBA draft to become a professional player.
Professional Career
Miami Heat
In the 2019 NBA draft, the Phoenix Suns picked KZ Okpala as the 32nd player. But he was soon traded to the Miami Heat. The Heat officially signed him on July 7, 2019.
He played in a few games for the Heat at first. However, he missed 19 games because of an Achilles injury. In December 2019, Okpala was sent to the Sioux Falls Skyforce. This team is part of the G League, which is like a development league for the NBA. With the Skyforce, he averaged 11.7 points and 7 rebounds per game.
In August 2021, Okpala played for the Heat in the NBA Summer League. In February 2022, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, he was released by the Thunder just two days later.
Sacramento Kings
On September 14, 2022, Okpala signed with the Sacramento Kings. He played for them until February 25, 2023, when he was released.
Playing for Nigeria
KZ Okpala also played for the Nigerian national basketball team. He represented his country at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
See also
In Spanish: KZ Okpala para niños
