Kelenna Azubuike

Infobox NBA Player
name = Kelenna Azubuike


caption = Azubuike in a Warriors/Lakers game, December 28, 2007
height_ft = 6 | height_in = 5
weight_lb = 220
position = Shooting guard
league = NBA
team = Golden State Warriors
number = 7
nationality = Nigerian
birth_date = birth date and age|1983|12|16
birth_place = London, England, UK
highschool = Victory Christian
college = Kentucky
draft = Undrafted | draft_year = 2005
career_start = 2005
former_teams = Fort Worth Flyers (2005–2007)
awards =

Kelenna David Azubuike (born December 16 1983 in London, England, UK) is a British-born Nigerian professional basketball, player currently with the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He holds both Nigerian and US citizenship; his application for British citizenship was turned down in December 2007 due to problems with the immigration status of his parents at the time of his birth. [cite web |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/us_sport/article3111497.ece |title= Blow for Britain as London-born Kelenna Azubuike is denied passport|publisher=Times Online |accessdate=2007-12-31]

High school career

Azubuike attended Victory Christian School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, US, where he was recruited by then-University of Kentucky coach Tubby Smith. He finished his high school career as the second all-time leading scorer in Oklahoma prep basketball history after amassing 3,530 career points. He was also the only player to ever earn Oklahoma’s “Super 5” recognition three times, an honor bestowed upon the state’s top five players, regardless of classification.

College career

Azubuike played three years for the Kentucky Wildcats, averaging 15 points per game in his junior season.

NBA career

Azubuike entered the 2005 NBA Draft after his junior year. He was not drafted, but played some preseason games for the Cleveland Cavaliers; he was waived at the end of the preseason and acquired by the Fort Worth Flyers. He excelled in his first season in the D-League, collecting All D-League honours while leading his team to the championship, which they lost to the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

On August 4, 2006, the Houston Rockets signed Azubuike to their training camp roster, but waived him on October 24 after only two preseason games. [cite web |url=http://www.insidehoops.com/azubuike-waived-102406.shtml |title=Rockets release Kelenna Azubuike |publisher=InsideHoops.com |date=2006-10-24 |accessdate=2007-01-02] He returned to the Flyers, where he averaged 26 points and 5 rebounds, while leading the D-League in scoring and ranking third in three-point field goal percentage. [cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/Kelenna_Azubuike_Signing_Release.html |title=Warriors Sign Kelenna Azubuike to Contract |publisher=NBA.com |accessdate=2007-01-05]

On January 2 2007, the Golden State Warriors signed Azubuike to shore up their injury-plagued backcourt. Details on the contract were not disclosed. On January 17, while the Warriors' roster was depleted by an eight-player trade in progress, Azubuike played 48 minutes versus the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 28 points and collecting 7 rebounds. On July 7, the Warriors re-signed him. [ [http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/Warriors_ReSign_Kelenna_Azubuike.html Warriors Re-Sign Kelenna Azubuike To Contract] ] In 2007-08, he averaged 8 points and 4 rebounds in 21 minutes of action.

On July 17, 2008, Azubuike signed an offer sheet with the Clippers of a three-year, $9 million contract , with Golden State having seven days to match it. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3494107 Sources: Clips, swingman Azubuike agree to multiyear offer sheet] ESPN.com, July 17, 2008] The Clippers' offer was matched by the Warriors on July 24, 2008, causing Azubuike to remain a Warrior. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3503935 Sources: Warriors keep Azubuike, match Clippers' offer] ESPN.com, July 24, 2008]

NBA career statistics

Regular season

-
align="left" | 2006–07
align="left" | Golden State
41 || 9 || 16.3 || .445 || .430 || .782 || 2.3 || .7 || .5 || .2 || 7.1
-
align="left" | 2007–08
align="left" | Golden State
81 || 17 || 21.4 || .445 || .364 || .717 || 4.0 || .9 || .6 || .4 || 8.5
-
align="left" | Career
align="left" |
122 || 26 || 19.7 || .445 || .383 || .741 || 3.4 || .8 || .6 || .3 || 8.1
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

Playoffs

-
align="left" | 2006–07
align="left" | Golden State
6 || 0 || 2.5 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || .7 || .0 || .2 || .0 || .7
-
align="left" | Career
align="left" |
6 || 0 || 2.5 || .333 || .000 || 1.000 || .7 || .0 || .2 || .0 || .7
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

External links

* [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kelenna_azubuike/index.html?nav=page NBA.com profile]
* [http://www.nba.com/dleague/playerfile/kelenna_azubuike/index.html D-League profile]
* [http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php?s=&change_well_id=2&url_article_id=10234 University of Kentucky profile]