Mfon Udoka
Encyclopedia
Mfon Sunday Udoka is a Nigerian American
professional basketball player and the new Assistant Coach of the Nigeria women's national basketball team
the Lady Tigers. Udoka graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School
(94) in Portland before attending DePaul University
in Chicago, Illinois from 1994-98. She is the sister of NBA player Ime Udoka
.
of the WNBA
. With Detroit, she appeared in three games. Udoka left the U.S. following the 1998 season, moving to Portugal
for the 1998-99 season. She returned to school to complete her degree in Communications in 2000, and also rehabilitated her ACL injury she suffered in the summer of 1999. In 2001, she slowly resumed her basketball career with the Birmingham Power
of the Women's National Basketball League
. Following the end of the 2001 NWBL season, Udoka again left the U.S., moving to Israel
, where she played briefly with Electra Ramat HaSharon before moving to compete with Harbin in China for the 2002 season. For the 2003 season, Udoka went back to Harbin before playing with the Chicago Blaze, again of the NWBL. In 2003, she was invited to the Houston Comets training camp and made the roster as a free agent.
. With the Comets, she played in 25 games and started 3 of them, averaging 3.2 points per game in 10 minutes. Udoka signed with the Los Angeles Sparks
for the short remainder of the 2004 WNBA season, after competing for Nigeria in the Athens Olympics, but played in only 3 games.
(2004),then the Athens Summer Olympics and Russia
(2005). She played in Mersin, Turkey for the second half of the 2006 season and spent a short time with Tarbes Gespe Bigorre
of France
's Ligue Féminine de Basketball
in 2007.
to the 2004 Summer Olympics
. At the Olympics, she was second in the tournament in scoring and rebounding but Nigeria finished 11th out of 12 teams. They became the first African team to ever win one game at the Olympics. Udoka also led Nigeria at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women
, where Nigeria finished in last (16th) place.
In May 2011, Udoka was named as the new Assistant Coach for the Nigeria women's national basketball team
(Lady Tigers) as they prepare for the African Nations Cup in Mali and the All Africa Games.
Nigerian American
Nigerian Americans are citizens of the United States of America who are or descend from immigrants from Nigeria. Since the late 1960s and early 1970s, approximately one million Nigerians have immigrated in to the United States....
professional basketball player and the new Assistant Coach of the Nigeria women's national basketball team
Nigeria women's national basketball team
The Nigeria women's national basketball team, also known as D'Tigers, is the national women's basketball team in Nigeria it is ranked number one in the African continent and in the top 20 in the world.-Current squad:...
the Lady Tigers. Udoka graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School
Benson Polytechnic High School
Benson Polytechnic High School is a technical public high school in the Portland Public Schools district. Its campus is located in the center of Portland's Eastside commercial area. Students are given a special emphasis in a technical area...
(94) in Portland before attending DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
in Chicago, Illinois from 1994-98. She is the sister of NBA player Ime Udoka
Ime Udoka
Ime Sunday Udoka is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player who last played for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. He plays internationally with the Nigeria national basketball team....
.
1998-2003
After leaving DePaul in 1998, the Nigerian American signed with the Detroit ShockDetroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
of the WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
. With Detroit, she appeared in three games. Udoka left the U.S. following the 1998 season, moving to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
for the 1998-99 season. She returned to school to complete her degree in Communications in 2000, and also rehabilitated her ACL injury she suffered in the summer of 1999. In 2001, she slowly resumed her basketball career with the Birmingham Power
Birmingham Power
The Birmingham Power was one of the original franchises of the National Women's Basketball League . Based in Birmingham, Alabama, they played from 2001 to 2005.-External links:**...
of the Women's National Basketball League
Women's National Basketball League
The Women's National Basketball League is the pre-eminent women's professional basketball league in Australia. It currently is composed of ten teams. The league was founded in 1981 and is the women's counterpart to the National Basketball League...
. Following the end of the 2001 NWBL season, Udoka again left the U.S., moving to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, where she played briefly with Electra Ramat HaSharon before moving to compete with Harbin in China for the 2002 season. For the 2003 season, Udoka went back to Harbin before playing with the Chicago Blaze, again of the NWBL. In 2003, she was invited to the Houston Comets training camp and made the roster as a free agent.
2003-2004
Taking several years away from the WNBA, Udoka returned in 2003 with the Houston CometsHouston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
. With the Comets, she played in 25 games and started 3 of them, averaging 3.2 points per game in 10 minutes. Udoka signed with the Los Angeles Sparks
Los Angeles Sparks
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began...
for the short remainder of the 2004 WNBA season, after competing for Nigeria in the Athens Olympics, but played in only 3 games.
2004-2007
After leaving Los Angeles, Udoka moved to SpainSpain
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...
(2004),then the Athens Summer Olympics and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(2005). She played in Mersin, Turkey for the second half of the 2006 season and spent a short time with Tarbes Gespe Bigorre
Tarbes Gespe Bigorre
Tarbes Gespe Bigorre is a French basketball club, taking part to the professional French league for women, the LFB, and to European Cups ....
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's Ligue Féminine de Basketball
Ligue Féminine de Basketball
The LFB is the top women’s French professional basketball league.- Champions :* precedes the score of the team playing at home.- Season 2006-2007 :* CJM Bourges Basket...
in 2007.
International competitions
Udoka led the Nigeria women's national basketball teamNigeria women's national basketball team
The Nigeria women's national basketball team, also known as D'Tigers, is the national women's basketball team in Nigeria it is ranked number one in the African continent and in the top 20 in the world.-Current squad:...
to the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Basketball at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Helliniko Olympic Indoor Arena in Athens, Greece for the preliminary rounds, with the latter stages being held in the Olympic Indoor Hall at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex....
. At the Olympics, she was second in the tournament in scoring and rebounding but Nigeria finished 11th out of 12 teams. They became the first African team to ever win one game at the Olympics. Udoka also led Nigeria at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women
2006 FIBA World Championship for Women
The 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women took place in Brazil from September 12 to September 23, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation and Confederação Brasileira de Basketball, the Brazilian national federation....
, where Nigeria finished in last (16th) place.
In May 2011, Udoka was named as the new Assistant Coach for the Nigeria women's national basketball team
Nigeria women's national basketball team
The Nigeria women's national basketball team, also known as D'Tigers, is the national women's basketball team in Nigeria it is ranked number one in the African continent and in the top 20 in the world.-Current squad:...
(Lady Tigers) as they prepare for the African Nations Cup in Mali and the All Africa Games.