Usman Garuba facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Usman Garuba

Garuba with Spain in 2019
No. 16 – Real Madrid
Center / Power forward
Personal information
Born	(2002-03-09) 9 March 2002 (age 23) Madrid, Spain
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	253 lb (115 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2021 / Round: 1 / Pick: 23rd overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career	2017–present
League	Liga ACB EuroLeague
Career history
2017–2021	Real Madrid
2017–2019	→Real Madrid B
2021–2023	Houston Rockets
2021–2022	→Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2023–2024	Golden State Warriors
2023–2024	→Santa Cruz Warriors
2024–present	Real Madrid
Career highlights and awards
EuroLeague Rising Star (2021) Liga ACB champion (2019) Supercopa winner (2020) ACB Best Young Player (2021) 2× ACB All-Young Players Team (2020, 2021) EB Next Generation Tournament champion (2019) FIBA U16 European Championship MVP (2016)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Spain EuroBasket Gold 2022 Germany FIBA U18 European Championship Gold 2019 Greece Team FIBA U16 European Championship Gold 2016 Poland Team Silver 2018 Serbia Team

Usman Garuba (born March 9, 2002) is a Spanish professional basketball player. He plays for Real Madrid in Spain. He is known for playing both power forward and center positions.

Usman was born in Madrid, Spain. His parents are from Nigeria. He joined Real Madrid's youth team when he was 11. In 2019, at just 17, he became the youngest player to start a game for Real Madrid. He won the EuroLeague Rising Star award in 2021. He was also named the Best Young Player in Spain's top league. In 2016, at age 14, he was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship. In 2021, the Houston Rockets picked him in the 2021 NBA draft.

Usman Garuba's Early Life and Youth Basketball

Usman Garuba was born in Madrid. He grew up in Villaverde Bajo and Azuqueca de Henares. When he was younger, he loved playing football. But he switched to basketball because he was very tall. He looked up to famous NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

In 2011, Usman joined a local basketball school. His coach, David Serrano, helped him start his basketball journey. People at the school gave him the nickname "The Panther of Azuqueca."

Joining Real Madrid's Youth Teams

In 2013, Usman joined the youth teams of Real Madrid. By age 12, he was already 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in) tall. In 2015, he helped his team win the Minicopa Endesa. This is a big tournament for Spanish club teams under 14. He scored 24 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in his first game.

The next year, Usman led Real Madrid to win the Minicopa again. He was named the MVP of the tournament. He got an amazing 32 rebounds in the final game!

Playing in Youth Tournaments

In 2018, Usman played in the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT). This is a top tournament for young European players. He was one of the youngest players there. He was even chosen for the All-Tournament Team.

In 2019, he was named MVP of the ANGT Munich tournament. He helped Real Madrid win the final tournament. He was again named to the All-Tournament Team.

Usman Garuba's Professional Career

Starting with Real Madrid (2017–2021)

From 2017 to 2019, Usman played for Real Madrid B. This is the reserve team for Real Madrid. He played in the fourth-tier league in Spain. He averaged good numbers in points, rebounds, and blocks.

In October 2018, Usman played his first game for the main Real Madrid team. He was only 16 years and seven months old. He became the youngest center to play in Spain's top league, the Liga ACB. He was also the third-youngest player ever to debut for Real Madrid.

Becoming a Full-Time Player

For the 2019–2020 season, Usman became a full-time player for Real Madrid's main team. In his first game of the season, he became Real Madrid's youngest-ever starter. He was 17 years old.

He set a new record by getting a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds) in an ACB game. He was the youngest player to do this. In October 2019, he also made his EuroLeague debut. He played very well in that game too. He was chosen for the ACB All-Young Players Team.

In 2021, Usman had a great season. He won the ACB Best Young Player Award again. He also earned the EuroLeague Rising Star award. He had a career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds in a EuroLeague playoff game.

Playing in the NBA (2021–2023)

Garuba with the Rockets in 2023

In the 2021 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets picked Usman. He was the 23rd player chosen overall. He signed his first NBA contract in August 2021. He played his first preseason game in October.

In January 2022, Usman had surgery on his left wrist. He was out for several weeks to recover.

In July 2023, Usman was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. A few days later, he was traded again to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was then waived by the Thunder in August.

Golden State Warriors (2023–2024)

In September 2023, Usman signed a special contract with the Golden State Warriors. This contract allowed him to play for both the Warriors and their G League team, the Santa Cruz Warriors. In April 2024, he signed a regular contract with Golden State.

Returning to Real Madrid (2024–Present)

In August 2024, Usman Garuba returned to Real Madrid. He signed a three-year contract with his old team. In September 2024, he had a foot injury.

Usman Garuba's National Team Career

Playing for Spain's Junior Teams

Usman first played for Spain's national team at the 2016 FIBA U16 European Championship. He was named MVP of the tournament. He led his team to win a gold medal. He averaged 16.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. He was only 14 years old, making him the youngest player ever to win MVP at this event.

In the final game, he got a triple-double (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks). This was a rare achievement in the tournament's history.

In 2017, Usman could not play for the national team because of a knee injury. But in 2018, he helped Spain win a silver medal at the 2018 FIBA U16 European Championship. He was chosen for the All-Star Five team.

In 2019, Usman helped Spain win a gold medal at the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship. He was again named to the All-Star Five.

Playing for Spain's Senior Team

In 2021, Usman played for Spain men's national basketball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. This was a big moment for him. While he was at the Olympics, he was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the NBA.

Personal Life

Usman Garuba's parents are from Nigeria. They moved to Madrid in the 1990s. Usman has a younger brother named Sediq and a younger sister named Uki.

Images for kids

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  Usman Garuba with Spain in 2019

See also

In Spanish: Usman Garuba para niños