Ademola Okulaja
This proud K1X WARRIOR will lead the German national team into battle at the European championship in Serbia, September 2005.
Quick facts/highlights:
• Born: July 10th, 1975, in Lagos, Nigeria
• High School: John F. Kennedy High, Berlin, Germany
• College: North Carolina
• Position: 6'9 Small Forward / Power Forward
• Aka: The Warrior / Oak
• In 1990 Ademola and his right hand man Ümit, ruled the street-courts of Berlin and were known as the toughest matchup in the city. Rumour has it, that they never lost a game together.
• Played his first game for the German National Team at the European Championships in Barcelona, Spain and won the European Korac Cup with Aba Berlin in 1995.
• Enrolled at prestigious University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and was a teammate to NBA-Stars Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter from his Freshman - to his Junior year. Ademola still has a close relationship to "the godfather" coach Dean Smith and tries to visit to his alma matter every summer. Tar Heel Pride for Life.
• Led the Tar Heels in his Senior season in scoring, rebounding, 3 pt fg made, and steals, first player in school history to lead in all four categories, was named First Team All-ACC
• Averaged 9.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists on .438 percent shooting from the field and .680 percent from the line in 139 consecutive college games.
• Graduated in 1999 with a B.A. in international studies.
• Signed with Germany's Alba Berlin for the 1999/2000 season.
• Signed with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers for the 2001 season.
• Asked 76ers in early 2001 to release him, so he would be able to sign with Spanish Club Casademont Girona. There, he was named Bosman Player of the Year, First Team All ACB, Biggest Surprise of the ACB, Rookie of the Year and 2nd Runner-Up in Spanish league MVP-Voting.
• Signed with Spanish club FC Barcelona for the 2001/2002 season.
Was named the club's MVP, 5th in voting for Spanish league's MVP.
• Helped Germany win the Bronze Medal at the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, being 2nd leading scorer on the team
• Signed with Unicaja Malaga for the 2002/2003 season and made it to the semi-finals of the ACB league as the teams second best scorer and rebounder.
• Brought the German national team to the European Championships in Sweden (05-14 September 2003), leading the team through the qualification rounds in points (19) and rebounds (8).
• September 2004: Signed with Pamesa Valencia
For more information about Ademola, visit his homepage at http://www.okulaja.com/us/ |
