Kelenna Azubuike facts for kids
Azubuke in 2016
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 December 1983 London, England |
| Nationality | American/ Nigerian |
| High school | Victory Christian (Tulsa, Oklahoma) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 215 lb (98 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Kentucky (2002–2005) |
| NBA Draft | 2005 / Undrafted |
| Pro career | 2005–2012 |
| Career history | |
| 2005–2007 | Fort Worth Flyers |
| 2007–2010 | Golden State Warriors |
| 2012 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 2012 | →Texas Legends |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Kelenna David Azubuike (born 16 December 1983) is a former professional basketball player. He was born in England but grew up in the United States. Today, he works as a TV analyst for the Golden State Warriors on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Kelenna was born in London to Nigerian parents. His family moved to the United States when he was a child. He grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he became a fantastic basketball player. He played for Victory Christian High School. Later, he joined the Wildcats at the University of Kentucky. After college, Kelenna played in the NBA Development League (D-League). He was the top scorer in the D-League during the 2006–07 season. This led him to play for the Golden State Warriors.
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Growing Up: Kelenna Azubuike's Early Life
Kelenna Azubuike was born in London, England. His parents, Kenneth and Chi Azubuike, were doctors. They moved to London for their work. In 1989, Kelenna and his family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father got a special job at Saint Francis Hospital. The family later became American citizens.
Kelenna played basketball for Victory Christian High School. In his second year, he helped his team win the state championship. He became an All-State player. In his final year of high school, he averaged 39.1 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. He led his team to the Class 4A State Championship Game. Kelenna was the best scorer in Oklahoma for his last three high school seasons. He scored 3,530 points in his high school career. This was very close to the state's all-time scoring record.
College Basketball Journey
Kelenna played college basketball for the Wildcats. His coach was Tubby Smith. Kelenna said that playing strong defense helped him improve his offense a lot. In his third year, he was named to the All-SEC Second Team. This was because he led his team in points per game. He averaged 14.7 points overall.
Kelenna also made the 2005 SEC All-Tournament Team. He averaged 18.0 points in three games during that tournament. While at the University of Kentucky, Kelenna helped his team win two Southeastern Conference titles. They also won two SEC Tournament titles. The Wildcats reached the NCAA Elite Eight twice with Kelenna. He averaged 10.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in 97 college games. Kelenna studied business marketing at the University of Kentucky.
Playing Pro Basketball
Starting with the Fort Worth Flyers
In April 2005, Kelenna decided to enter the NBA draft. He signed with an agent, Joel Bell. This meant he could no longer play college basketball. In the 2005–06 season, Kelenna played for the Fort Worth Flyers. This team was part of the NBA's Developmental League (D-League). He averaged 12.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 41 games.
In August 2006, the Houston Rockets signed Kelenna as a free agent. However, they later let him go. He went back to play for the Fort Worth Flyers. Kelenna was amazing in the D-League. He averaged 26.0 points per game, which was the best in the league. He also shot very well, making 51.4% of his shots.
Joining the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors signed Kelenna Azubuike on 2 January 2007. He was the first player from the D-League to be called up to the NBA that season. During his second year with the Warriors, Kelenna wanted to play for the British team. This was for the 2012 London Olympic Games. But he was not given British citizenship. He could also have played for the Nigeria national team.
On 17 July 2008, the Los Angeles Clippers offered Kelenna a three-year contract for $9 million. The Warriors had seven days to match this offer. On 24 July 2008, the Warriors matched the offer. This allowed Kelenna to stay with the team. On 17 November 2009, Kelenna got a serious injury. He tore a tendon in his right knee. This meant he missed the rest of the 2009–10 season. On 9 July 2010, Kelenna was traded to the New York Knicks. He never played a game for the Knicks. He was released by the Knicks on 28 February 2011.
Time with the Dallas Mavericks
On 23 March 2012, the Dallas Mavericks signed Kelenna Azubuike. As part of his comeback, he was sent to the Mavericks' D-League team, the Texas Legends. On 9 April 2012, the Mavericks called him back to their main team. On 20 April 2012, Kelenna played in his first NBA game since his injury. This game was against his old team, the Golden State Warriors. On 28 June 2012, Kelenna was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, the Cavaliers released him on 14 October 2012.
From Player to TV Analyst
In the summer of 2015, Kelenna Azubuike went to a special program at Syracuse University. This program, called Sportscaster U., helped him train for a career in broadcasting. After that, he started announcing NBA D-League games for NBA TV. Some of these games were also shown on ESPNU.
In 2015, he joined NBC Sports Bay Area. He started covering Warriors games as a studio analyst. This meant he talked about the games before, during halftime, and after the games. In 2019, he became the main TV analyst for the Warriors. He works alongside Bob Fitzgerald. Kelenna has also worked as an analyst for the NBA on ESPN Radio since 2022.
Kelenna's Life Off the Court
Kelenna Azubuike has three siblings: Nonzo, Nesochi, and Adaeze. He loves Christian music and enjoys making his own songs. During the 2006–07 NBA season, Kelenna appeared on a hip hop radio station. He gave an interview while the station played music he had made. Kelenna is a Christian.
Kelenna has also been involved in many good causes. In 2008, he was invited by the President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, to a big meeting. This meeting was called the Leon H. Sullivan Summit. It brought together world leaders to focus on Africa's development. Kelenna is also a co-founder of The Athletes' Corner. This group works with athletes to create media content about faith and family.
See also
In Spanish: Kelenna Azubuike para niños
- List of European basketball players in the United States
