Ademola Okulaja
Encyclopedia
Ademola Okulaja, is a former German
professional basketball
player. The last team he played for were the Brose Baskets from Germany
. He moved from Nigeria to West Berlin
when he was only three years old.
The 6' 9", 235 lb (2.06 m, 107 kg) forward played college basketball
in the United States at North Carolina
and flirted briefly with the NBA before moving on to a successful international professional basketball career in Europe
. He most recently played for Etosa Alicante
in the ACB
before returning to Germany for the 2007-08 season.
's successful "six starters" rotation with Antawn Jamison
, Vince Carter
, Ed Cota
, Shammond Williams
and Makhtar N'Diaye. In his senior season, he was named MVP of the Tar Heels basketball team, and won a spot on the 1998-99 All-Atlantic Coast Conference
First Team.
teams, including ALBA Berlin
(1999–2000) and RheinEnergie Köln
(2005–2006) in Germany
; CB Girona (2000–2001 and 2003–04), Barcelona (2001–2002), Unicaja Malaga (2002–2003) and Pamesa Valencia (2004–2005) in Spain
; and Benetton Treviso
in Italy
(2004).
His ALBA Berlin team won the 1999-2000 German National (Bundesliga
) championship. He won the "Rookie of the Year" award with Girona, and was an All-League First Team selection that year. In 2002, he won the award for "Most Spectacular Player" at the Spanish All-Star Game.
Okulaja had three different attempts to join the NBA; his first training camp experience was with the Philadelphia 76ers
, then with the San Antonio Spurs
, and finally the Utah Jazz
, but was unable to make an NBA roster.
On July 12, 2010, he announced his retirement from professional basketball.
. He played with the team in the European Championships in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001. He competed with the German National Team in Japan
in the 2006 FIBA World Basketball Championship
tournament alongside NBA star Dirk Nowitzki
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. The last team he played for were the Brose Baskets from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He moved from Nigeria to West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
when he was only three years old.
The 6' 9", 235 lb (2.06 m, 107 kg) forward played college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
in the United States at North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
and flirted briefly with the NBA before moving on to a successful international professional basketball career in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He most recently played for Etosa Alicante
CB Lucentum Alicante
Club Baloncesto Lucentum Alicante is a professional basketball team based in Alicante, Valencian Community. Lucentum Alicante is member of the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto .-Sponsorship naming:...
in the ACB
Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto
The Liga ACB, known as the Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Spain. It was founded in 1956 with the name of Liga Nacional. The league changed its name to the current one in 1983. The league is rated as one of the three "A" level European...
before returning to Germany for the 2007-08 season.
Collegiate career
Okulaja played college basketball at North Carolina from 1995 to 1999. During the 1997-1998 NCAA season, he was a member of new coach Bill GuthridgeBill Guthridge
Bill Guthridge is a retired American college basketball coach.Guthridge initially gained recognition after serving for 30 years as Dean Smith's assistant at the University of North Carolina. Following Dean Smith's retirement in 1997, Guthridge served as head coach of the Tar Heels for three seasons...
's successful "six starters" rotation with Antawn Jamison
Antawn Jamison
Antawn Cortez Jamison is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He currently plays power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was a member of the USA National Team for the 2006 FIBA World Championships...
, Vince Carter
Vince Carter
Vincent Lamar "Vince" Carter is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns. He is a shooting guard who can also play small forward....
, Ed Cota
Ed Cota
Eduardo Enrique Cota is an American professional basketball player. The 6' 0", 195-lb. point guard played for Atlas Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski in Poland. He is currently living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina....
, Shammond Williams
Shammond Williams
Shammond Omar Williams is a naturalized Georgian professional basketball player who grew up in the United States . The 6'1" combination point guard/shooting guard is known for his long-range shooting accuracy...
and Makhtar N'Diaye. In his senior season, he was named MVP of the Tar Heels basketball team, and won a spot on the 1998-99 All-Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
First Team.
Professional career
Okulaja has played professionally for a variety of EuroleagueEuroleague
Euroleague Basketball, commonly known as the Euroleague, is the highest level tier and most important professional club basketball competition in Europe, with teams from up to 18 different countries, members of FIBA Europe. For sponsorship reasons, for five seasons starting with 2010–2011, it is...
teams, including ALBA Berlin
ALBA Berlin
-Depth Chart:* Denotes injured player.-Championships:*German Championships: 8 *German Cups: 6 *Korać Cups: 1 -Notable players:- Season by season :-External links:...
(1999–2000) and RheinEnergie Köln
RheinEnergie Köln
Köln 99ers, that was known as RheinEnergie Köln from 2001-2007, is a basketball club based in Cologne, Germany that played in the Basketball Bundesliga ....
(2005–2006) in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
; CB Girona (2000–2001 and 2003–04), Barcelona (2001–2002), Unicaja Malaga (2002–2003) and Pamesa Valencia (2004–2005) in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
; and Benetton Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso
Pallacanestro Treviso, more often known by its sponsorship name of Benetton Basket, or Benetton Treviso, is an Italian Serie A League professional basketball club from Treviso, the headquarters city of its longtime owner Benetton Group...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(2004).
His ALBA Berlin team won the 1999-2000 German National (Bundesliga
Basketball Bundesliga
The Basketball Bundesliga — commonly abbreviated BBL — is the highest level league of club basketball in Germany. The league comprises 18 teams. A BBL season is split into a league stage and a playoff stage...
) championship. He won the "Rookie of the Year" award with Girona, and was an All-League First Team selection that year. In 2002, he won the award for "Most Spectacular Player" at the Spanish All-Star Game.
Okulaja had three different attempts to join the NBA; his first training camp experience was with the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, then with the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, and finally the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, but was unable to make an NBA roster.
On July 12, 2010, he announced his retirement from professional basketball.
German national team
Okulaja is also an experienced member of the Germany national basketball teamGermany national basketball team
The German national basketball team for men is the basketball side that represents Germany in international competitions. Their biggest successes are the victory in the European Championship of 1993 at home in Germany, the silver medal in the 2005 European Championships and the bronze medal in the...
. He played with the team in the European Championships in 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001. He competed with the German National Team in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in the 2006 FIBA World Basketball Championship
2006 FIBA World Championship
The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
tournament alongside NBA star Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Werner Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association...
.