Kelenna Azubuike

Azubuike with Golden State
No. 4 – Dallas Mavericks
Shooting guard / Small forward
Personal information
Born	(1983-12-16) December 16, 1983 (age 28) London, England
High school	Victory Christian
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky
NBA Draft	2005 / Undrafted
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
2005–2007	Fort Worth Flyers (D-League)
2007–2010	Golden State Warriors
2012–present	Dallas Mavericks
2012	→Texas Legends (D-League)
Stats at NBA.com

Kelenna David Azubuike (born December 16, 1983)^[1] is a British professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. Born in London, England and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Azubuike became a standout player during his play at Victory Christian High School, and was eventually recruited to play for the Wildcats of the University of Kentucky. After finishing his junior season in college, Azubuike declared himself eligible for the 2005 NBA Draft, eventually going undrafted that year. Azubuike then played for the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA Development League, leading the league in scoring during the 2006–07 season and eventually being called-up to play for the Golden State Warriors.

Early life and education[link]

Azubuike was born in London, England to Kenneth and Chy Azubuike.^[1] Azubuike was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma.^[1] Playing for Victory Christian High School, Azubuike led his team to the state title as a sophomore.^[1] He eventually became an All-State selection, averaging 39.1 points and 13.3 rebounds and leading his team to the Class 4A State Championship Game as a senior.^[1] He was the top scorer in the state of Oklahoma during his last three seasons of high school, averaging 28.5 points as a sophomore and 38.7 points as a junior.^[1] Azubuike finished his prep career with 3,530 points, 89 points short of the all-time state scoring mark.^[1]

College[link]

Playing under coach Tubby Smith, Azubuike said that the biggest improvement to his game at Kentucky was the ability to create offense through intense defense.^[2] As a junior, Azubuike was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the Associated Press and the league's coaches after leading the team and ranking tenth in the SEC in points per game, averaging 14.7 overall.^[1] Azubuike was named to the 2005 SEC All-Tournament Team after averaging 18.0 points in three contests.^[1] During his time with the organization, Azubuike helped the Wildcats to earn two Southeastern Conference titles, two SEC Tournament titles, and two NCAA Elite Eight appearances.^[1] Azubuike averaged 10.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in 97 career games at the University of Kentucky, shooting a 48.5% field goal average for his college career.^[1] While attending the University of Kentucky, Azubuike majored in business marketing.^[1]

Professional career[link]

In April 2005, Azubuike announced his plans to enter the draft after his junior year, signing with agent Joel Bell and ending his college eligibility.^[3] In the 2005-06 season, Azubuike averaged 12.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in forty-one games with the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA's Developmental League.^[4] Azubuike played with the Denver Nuggets in the 2006 Toshiba Vegas Summer League, where he averaged 16.4 points and finished tied at tenth in the league in scoring.^[4] In August 2006, Azubuike was signed by the Houston Rockets as a free agent, but eventually waived by October.^[4] Playing for Fort Worth of the Development League again, Azubuike averaged 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.17 steals, and a league-best 26.0 points in 37.7 minutes per contest playing for the Fort Worth Flyers of the NBA Development League, shooting 51.4% from the field and 48.5% from three-point range over twelve games.^[2][5]

Impressed with his play, the Golden State Warriors signed Azubuike on January 2, 2007.^[2] Azubuike was the first Gatorade Call-Up of the 2006-07 NBA Development League season, and the 49th player overall to be called-up to the NBA since the D-League began play in November 2001.^[5] During his second season with Golden State, Azubuike expressed an interest in playing for the British team during the build-up to the 2012 London Olympic Games, but was denied British citizenship under the 1981 British Nationality Act.^[6] On July 17, 2008, Azubuike signed an offer sheet with the Los Angeles Clippers for a three-year deal worth $9 million, with Golden State having seven days to match the offer.^[7] In the final hour, Golden State matched the offer made by the Clippers on July 24, 2008, allowing Azubuike to remain a Warrior.^[8]

On November 17, 2009, it was announced that Azubuike would miss the remainder of the 2009-10 season because of a torn patella tendon.^[9]

On July 9, 2010, Azubuike was traded to the New York Knicks along with Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and a future second-round pick in a sign and trade deal for David Lee.^[10] Azubuike was waived by the Knicks on February 28, 2011 after failing to suit up the entire season.^[11]

On March 23, 2012, Azubuike was signed by the Dallas Mavericks. As part of his comeback, he was assigned to the Mavericks' D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends.^[12] On April 9, 2012, he was recalled by the Mavericks.^[13] On April 20, 2012, Azubuike played in his first NBA game since November 14, 2009, against the Golden State Warriors.^[14]

NBA career statistics[link]

Statistics correct as of end of 2011-12 season^[15]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Personal life[link]

Azubuike has three siblings, Adaeze, Nesochi, and Nonzo.^[1] He is a hip hop fan and enjoys creating his own music.^[1] During the 2006-07 season, Azubuike made an appearance on Bay Area hip hop station KMEL and conducted an interview while the station played music which he personally produced.^[1] Azubuike also likes to play pool in his spare time.^[2] Azubuike shares homes in Denver, Colorado and the Bay Area with his brother Nonzo.^[2] While playing at the University of Kentucky his father, Kenneth, was convicted of 41 counts of fraud, in Federal District Court. He was sentenced to 4 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $340,161 in restitution. This occurred shortly before Kelenna declared for the NBA Draft as an underclassman.^[16]

Azubuike has been involved with many humanitarian causes during his time in the NBA. Azubuike accepted a personal invitation from Jakaya Kikwete, the President of Tanzania, to take part in Leon H. Sullivan Summit VIII, a five-day convention held from June 2 to June 6, 2008 in Arusha, Tanzania. The convention brought together many of the world's political and business leaders to focus attention and resources on Africa's economic and social development.^[17]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kelenna Azubuike

• NBA.com Profile - Kelenna Azubuike
• Kelenna Azubuike College Statistics at StatSheet.com
• Career Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
• ESPN.com profile
• Sports Illustrated Summary

Jason Maxiell

Maxiell warming up before a game.
No. 54 – Detroit Pistons
Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1983-02-18) February 18, 1983 (age 29) Chicago, Illinois
Nationality	American
High school	Newman Smith (Carrollton, Texas)
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	Cincinnati (2001–2005)
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 26th overall
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
2005–present	Detroit Pistons
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Jason Dior Maxiell (born February 18, 1983 in Chicago, Illinois) is a professional basketball player. He currently plays for the Detroit Pistons.

Playing career[link]

A 6 feet 7 inches, 260 lb power forward, Maxiell was selected by the Pistons with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2005 NBA Draft. He attended Newman Smith High School in Carrollton, Texas.^[1] During his career at the University of Cincinnati, where he was coached by Bob Huggins, Jason earned All-Conference USA Second Team honors. He led Conference USA in blocked shots (2.8 bpg) and ranked 18th in the nation. His 91 blocks are the second-highest University of Cincinnati single-season total. He averaged 17.3 points in three postseason games and shot .607 from the field.

Maxiell finished 11th on Cincinnati's career scoring list with 1,566 points (13th in Conference USA history) and second on the Cincinnati career chart for blocked shots with 252 (4th in Conference USA). He played 129 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in Bearcats' history, and started the last 77 contests.

On October 30, 2008, Maxiell agreed to a four year, $20 million deal.

NBA accomplishments[link]

Career highs[link]

• Minutes 35:31 vs. Milwaukee Bucks, March 25, 2007
• Points 28 vs. Washington Wizards, April 11, 2008
• Rebounds 16 vs. Houston Rockets, March 7, 2010
• Blocks 6 vs. Golden State Warriors, December 16, 2007

Game-winning shots[link]

• vs. Seattle December 17, 2006^[2]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Jason Maxiell at NBA.com
• Jason Maxiell at Basketball-Reference.com

Andrew Bogut

Bogut with the Bucks
No. 12 – Golden State Warriors
Center
Personal information
Born	(1984-11-28) 28 November 1984 (age 27) Endeavour Hills, Melbourne, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	Utah (2003–2005)
NBA Draft	2005 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Pro career	2005–present
Career history
2005–2012	Milwaukee Bucks
2012–present	Golden State Warriors
Career highlights and awards
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2006) All-NBA Third Team (2010) Oscar Robertson Trophy (2005) John R. Wooden Award (2005) Naismith College Player of the Year (2005) Consensus NCAA All-American First Team (2005) NBA Block Leader (2010-11)
Stats at NBA.com

Andrew Michael Bogut (born 28 November 1984) is an Australian professional basketball player who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Bogut was selected first overall by the Bucks in the 2005 NBA Draft. The 7-foot (2.13m), 260-pound (118 kg) center was a star at the University of Utah for two years before declaring for the draft. Bogut is the first Australian player to be drafted number one overall. He was also the second Utah player to be drafted number one overall.

Early years[link]

Bogut was born to Croatian immigrants Mišo and Ankica (née Jurišić) Bogut in the Melbourne suburb of Endeavour Hills.^[1][2][3] His father is from Osijek and his mother was a native of Karlovac.^[4] Bogut grew up playing Australian rules football and tennis in addition to basketball. In his childhood, he patterned his basketball game after Toni Kukoc.^[5] As a 15-year-old, he was cut from the Victoria junior state representative team. That experience apparently drove him to improve; he later went on to attend the Australian Institute of Sport, with whom he would tour the United States in 2001 and 2002. In his last season at AIS, he averaged 29 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game while competing in the SEABL.^[6] He went on to lead the Australian team that won the 2003 FIBA Junior World Championships, and was named the tournament MVP.

College career[link]

As a freshman at Utah in 2003–04, he had 12.5 points and 9.9 rebounds, and was named Freshman of the Year in the Mountain West Conference. During the summer, he was a starter for the Boomers at the 2004 Athens Olympics, averaging 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocked shots and shooting 58.0% from the field.

As a sophomore, Bogut averaged 20.4 points, 12.2 rebounds (second in Division I), 2.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks, and shot 62.0% from the field (eighth in Division I). He also led Division I in double-doubles, with 26. After the 2004–05 NCAA season, Bogut was the leading vote-getter on the AP All-America team, earning Player of the Year honors from the Associated Press and ESPN.com, plus the Naismith and Wooden Awards.

NBA career[link]

Bogut finished his rookie season with the Bucks averaging 9.4 ppg and 7.0 rpg. He was named to the 2005–06 All-Rookie First Team and finished third in votes for the 2006 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

Bogut's sophomore season in the league was cut short after spraining his left foot and being put on the injured reserve for the final 15 games. He had previously played in 153 consecutive games.^[7] He showed improvement in his second year in the league as he averaged 12.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.^[8] Bogut is considered one of the best passing centers in the league, having averaged 3.0 assists per game in the 2006–07 season. In the 2007–08 NBA season the Australian center showed career highs in points (14.3), rebounds (9.8), blocks (1.7), steals (0.8) and minutes (34.9) per game.^[9] Also in 2007–08, Bogut started a career high 78 times. The low point of his second season in the NBA came when he made an obscene gesture towards a home fan after being ejected from a game for a flagrant foul against the Toronto Raptors at the Bradley Center. The move would cost him $25,000.^[10] On April 3, 2010, during a game against the Phoenix Suns in Milwaukee, Bogut suffered a major right elbow and hand injury after falling hard to the floor following a slam dunk. The next day the Bucks announced he had suffered a dislocated right elbow, broken right hand, and a wrist sprain.^[11] Bogut had been having a breakout 2009-2010 season, averaging 15.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game (2nd in the League).^[11] He was named to the 2009–10 All-NBA Third Team following this breakout season and became the first Australian to earn All-NBA honours.

On March 13, 2012, Bogut, along with Stephen Jackson, was traded to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh and Kwame Brown.^[12]

Career highs[link]

• Points – 32 @ Dallas, 27 January 2010
• Field Goals Made – 14, 2 times
• Field Goals Attempted – 23 vs. Chicago, 8 January 2010
• Three Point Field Goals Made – 1 vs. Phoenix, 1 December 2006
• Three Point Field Goals Attempted – 1, 21 Times
• Free Throws Made – 9 vs. Chicago, 14 April 2008
• Free Throws Attempted – 16 vs. Orlando, 4 December 2010
• Offensive Rebounds – 10 vs. Detroit, 9 February 2010
• Defensive Rebounds – 20 vs. Miami, 7 January 2011
• Total Rebounds – 27 vs. Miami, 7 January 2011
• Assists – 8 vs. Toronto, 12 March 2007
• Steals – 4 vs. Cleveland, 1 January 2007
• Blocks – 7, 4 times
• Minutes Played – 50 @ New Orleans/Oklahoma City, 8 February 2007

International career[link]

Bogut's international career began with Australia's 2003 Junior World Championship team. Bogut was the star of the side, averaging 26.2 PPG and 17 RPG, including a 35 point, 14 rebound performance against Lithuania in the Championship Game.^[13] Bogut was a starter for the Boomers at the 2004 Athens Olympics, averaging 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocked shots and shooting 58.0% from the field. He represented Australia again in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. Australia advanced to the Round of 16, before losing to the U.S.. Bogut averaged 12.8 points per game and 6.1 rebounds per game during the tournament, leading Australia in both categories. Bogut was a starter for the Boomers at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.^[14] In 2012, Bogut, a contender for the Boomers at the 2012 London Olympic Games, broke his ankle.^[15]

NBL[link]

During the 2011 NBA Lockout, Bogut expressed his desire to return home to Australia and play in the NBL during their 2011-12 season rather than sit on the sidelines (and in the process, forgo any higher paying contracts he could have easily earned in Europe). He was linked to the Gold Coast Blaze, Adelaide 36ers and the team he supported when growing up, the Sydney Kings. Ultimately he chose the Kings (who finished 9th and last in 2010-11), but the insurance to cover his remaining $39m contract with the Bucks could not be resolved, leaving the Kings and the NBL without his on-court services.^[16] Following the breakdown in contract negotiations over the insurance money Bogut stated he would like to join the Kings coaching staff in a bid to not only help the club but to help raise the profile of the NBL. With the NBA lockout resolved however, he returned to the Bucks.

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Notes and references[link]

External links[link]

• Video interview with Andrew Bogut @ fiba.com
• Andrew Bogut at NBA.com
• Andrew Bogut at Basketball-Reference.com
• Bogut Quotes
• 2005 College Player of the Year - The Oscar Robertson Trophy
• Andrew Bogut Profile
• Unofficial Andrew Bogut Site