Michael Olowokandi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Michael Olowokandi

Olowokandi with the Boston Celtics in 2006
Personal information
Born	(1975-04-03) 3 April 1975 (age 50) Lagos, Nigeria
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
College	Pacific (1995–1998)
NBA Draft	1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
Pro career	1999–2007
Career history
1999	Kinder Bologna
1999–2003	Los Angeles Clippers
2003–2006	Minnesota Timberwolves
2006–2007	Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1999) Big West Player of the Year (1998) No. 55 retired by Pacific Tigers
Career NBA statistics
Points	4,135 (8.3 ppg)
Rebounds	3,414 (6.8 rpg)
Blocks	697 (1.4 bpg)

Michael Olowokandi, born on April 3, 1975, is a former professional basketball player from Nigeria. He grew up in London and later played college basketball for the Pacific Tigers team in California. People sometimes called him "The Kandi Man." In 1998, the Los Angeles Clippers chose him as the very first player picked in the 1998 NBA draft. He played basketball professionally until 2007, when injuries to his knee and other areas of his body made him stop playing.

Early Life and Growing Up

Michael Olowokandi was born in Lagos, Nigeria. He was the oldest of five children. When he was three years old, his family moved to London, where he grew up. His father, Ezekiel, worked as a diplomat for Nigeria. Michael has Nigerian citizenship.

He went to Newlands Manor School in Seaford, East Sussex, England. There, he was very good at sports. He set records in long jump and triple jump for his age group in Britain. He also played football (soccer) as a center midfielder. When he was 16, Michael was already 6 feet 8 inches tall. He grew six more inches in just two years! He first touched a basketball when he was 17 and started playing the sport at 18.

After school, Michael went to Brunel University to study mechanical engineering. He continued to be an athlete, playing track and field, cricket, and rugby union. He even tried out for a professional basketball team called the Thames Valley Tigers, but he did not get a contract.

College Basketball Career

On his 20th birthday, April 3, 1995, Michael Olowokandi opened a guide to American colleges. He randomly landed on the page for the University of the Pacific (UOP). He called the UOP basketball office, hoping to play for the Pacific Tigers team.

The assistant coach, Tony Marcopulos, was amazed when Michael told him he was 7 feet 1 inch tall. Michael learned that UOP had no more basketball scholarships available. So, he offered to pay for his own schooling for two years, which cost about $23,000 each year. He also called other big universities like Georgetown University and Duke University, but they would not offer scholarships without seeing him play first.

Michael and Coach Marcopulos spent many hours on the phone. They worked to transfer his school credits and make sure he could play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It was decided he had three years of college basketball left to play. When Michael arrived in the United States in August 1995, he had never played organized basketball. He also had not met the UOP coaches. The head coach, Bob Thomason, joked that if Michael wasn't 7 feet tall, he would send him back home!

When he started, Michael was not in good physical shape. He also did not understand many basketball terms. In his first games, he often made mistakes like backcourt and traveling violations. But he worked very hard and practiced a lot. He became a star player for the team in his junior year. He scored an average of 12.6 points, grabbed 7.4 rebounds, and blocked 1.9 shots per game.

Michael led his team to the 1997 NCAA Tournament. As a senior, he led the Tigers to the 1998 National Invitation Tournament. In his senior year, he averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game. He was named the Big West Conference Player of the Year for 1997–98. The Associated Press also named him an Honorable Mention All-American in 1998. Michael graduated from Pacific with a degree in Economics. In 1998, the university honored him by retiring his No. 55 jersey.

Professional Basketball Career

Michael Olowokandi was seen as one of the top two players to be chosen in the 1998 NBA draft. This was because he had a very long wingspan of 7 feet 6 inches and a lot of potential. He did very well in the NBA's pre-draft events, showing off his quickness, speed, and strength. He even set records during his workouts.

Los Angeles Clippers (1998–2003)

The Los Angeles Clippers chose Michael Olowokandi as the first overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Later in the same draft, future Hall of Fame players like Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, and Vince Carter were chosen. The Clippers first thought about drafting Mike Bibby, but they decided on Olowokandi because of his hard work.

The start of the 1998–99 NBA season was delayed due to a player lockout. During this time, the Clippers could not contact Olowokandi. His agent, Bill Duffy, helped Michael train with basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. On January 5, 1999, Michael signed with an Italian team called Kinder Bologna. Just two days later, the NBA lockout ended.

In Italy, he played three games in the Italian League, averaging 4.7 points and 5.7 rebounds. He also played three games in the FIBA EuroLeague, averaging 10.7 points and 6.0 rebounds. Bologna allowed Michael to leave early to sign with the Clippers because he was not having a big impact.

Michael signed with the Clippers on January 29, 1999. In his first season, he played 45 games and averaged 8.9 points and 7.9 rebounds. He had surgery on his left knee on May 11, 1999. This was the first of several knee surgeries he would have.

In the 2001–02 season, Michael played the most minutes of his career. He averaged 11.1 points and 8.8 rebounds. After Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Clippers assistant coach Igor Kokoskov helped Michael improve his footwork and shot choices. Michael played more when another player, Elton Brand, was injured. Michael became a key player for the Clippers. He averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds in the last 20 games of that season.

Michael signed a new contract with the Clippers on September 24, 2002. He injured his left knee during training before the season and missed most of the preseason. This injury caused problems for him. He had knee surgery on February 3, 2003, and was out for the rest of that season.

In his five seasons with the Clippers, Michael played 323 games. He averaged 9.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who became an assistant coach for the Clippers, thought Michael was "talented but uncoachable." He felt Michael's unwillingness to take criticism hurt his career.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2003–2006)

Olowokandi with the Timberwolves in 2005

Michael Olowokandi signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves for $16.2 million. He had been considered a valuable free agent, but he received little interest from other NBA teams. He accepted the only good offer he got. The Timberwolves' general manager, Kevin McHale, helped convince him to join the team. They even trained together before the season.

Michael again had pain and swelling in his left knee. He had a second procedure before the season started, which made him miss all of training camp. He played only sometimes for the Timberwolves in November and December because of pain in his right knee. He had surgery on December 12, 2003, and was out of play for a long time.

On January 16, 2005, the NBA suspended Michael for four games. This was because he got into a fight with Nenê of the Denver Nuggets during a game.

Boston Celtics (2006–2007)

On January 26, 2006, Michael Olowokandi, Dwayne Jones, and Wally Szczerbiak were traded from the Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics. In return, the Timberwolves received Justin Reed, Mark Blount, Ricky Davis, Marcus Banks, and two future draft picks.

In his NBA career, Michael Olowokandi played 500 regular season games. He started 399 of those games. He averaged 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.39 blocked shots per game. In 15 playoff games, he averaged 2.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks. Some people consider him a "draft bust," meaning he did not reach the high expectations set for him as the first overall pick.

Charity Work

Michael Olowokandi has also been involved in charity work. In 2001, he and his Clippers teammates took part in a bowling event called the BasketBowl Challenge. This event raised money for the Los Angeles Clippers Foundation and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

During Thanksgiving in 2006, Michael volunteered at the Boston Children's Hospital. He also helped serve meals to over 200 homeless people at the Pine Street Inn in Boston. He has given money to many different charities and hospitals. This includes donating over $100,000 to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles for a new incubator for babies born too early. Many of Michael's charity projects were done privately without his teams knowing.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

College

See also

In Spanish: Michael Olowokandi para niños