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Wednesday, Jun. 30
Obinna Ekezie
Drafted by:
Vancouver, Round 2, pick 37.
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EXPERT ANALYSIS
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"Obinna Ekezie is just short of 6-10 with pretty good footwork and above-average quickness around the basket for a center. In college, he showed the ability to get fouled and get to the free throw line, and he can also step out and hit the mid-range jumper. Ekezie has a decent drop-step move, a spin move and has a passable turnaround jumper in addition to a short jumphook. However, Ekezie does not have the face-up ability he was expected to develop, and he is not a great defender, often finding trouble with fouls because he is not disciplined. If Ekezie gets drafted, it will likely be in the second round -- especially because of the ruptured right Achilles tendon he suffered in the middle of his senior season."
-- ESPN's Jay Bilas
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College: Maryland
Height: 6-10
Weight: 262 pounds
Position: Forward
/ Center
Age: 23
(Aug. 22, 1975)
Birthplace: Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Career highlights
Had senior season cut short with a freak injury on Feb. 9, rupturing his Achilles tendon in practice
Finished career as Maryland's 24th all-time leading scorer with 1,072 career points
Ranks sixth all-time in Maryland history with 125 career blocked shots in 118 games (105 starts)
One of only five players in school history to average at least one blocked shot per game for career
Majored in business and engineering
Ranks eighth all-time in school history in free throws made (356).
College highlights
Senior
Averaged 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in 24 contests
Was averaging 1.5 blocks per game (35 total) prior to the injury
Shot a career-high .693 from the free throw line in 5.8 attempts per game
Grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds vs. North Texas
Grabbed career-high six offensive rebounds vs. UMBC
Scored a career-high 23 points vs. Hofstra
Junior
Named honorable mention All-ACC and led Maryland with 1.2 blocks per game
Dished out 51 assists
Was team's second-leading scorer, averaging 12.8 points per game
Blocked a season-high six shots against Wake Forest
Reached 90 career blocks, ranking him second all-time at Maryland
Made six straight field goals in the final two minutes of an NCAA Tournament game against Illinois, helping Maryland reach the Sweet 16
Set Maryland record for juniors with 200 free throw attempts
Sophomore
Became Maryland's starting center and averaged 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game
Blocked 33 shots, ranking him 10th in the ACC in that category
Had four double-doubles
Scored season-high 21 points vs. North Carolina and grabbed season-high 12 rebounds vs. Georgia
Freshman
Started 18 games and was an honorable mention All-ACC Freshman Team selection
Scored season-high 16 points vs. Delaware State
Grabbed season-high 11 rebounds vs. Clemson
Blocked 20 shots, including a season-high four vs. N.C. State
College statistics
| SEASON |
G |
FGM |
FGA |
PCT |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT |
REB |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
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SEASON | G | FGM | FGA | PCT | FTM | FTA | PCT | REB | AST | PTS | AVG
| | 1995-96 | 30 | 51 | 108 | .472 | 33 | 60 | .550 | 111 | 10 | 135 | 4.5
| | 1996-97 | 32 | 115 | 209 | .550 | 92 | 144 | .639 | 212 | 22 | 322 | 10.1
| | 1997-98 | 32 | 138 | 285 | .484 | 134 | 200 | .670 | 207 | 51 | 410 | 12.8
| | 1998-99 | 24 | 104 | 213 | .488 | 97 | 140 | .693 | 141 | 21 | 305 | 12.7
| | TOTALS | 118 | 408 | 815 | .501 | 356 | 544 | .654 | 671 | 104 | 1,172 | 9.9
| | Three-point field goals: 1995-96, 0-for-0 (.000); 1996-97, 0-for-0 (.000); 1997-98, 0-for-0 (.000); 1998-99, 0-for-2 (.000) Totals: 0-for-2 (.000 ).
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