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Line 11: \| height_in = 9 \| weight_lb = 230 \| league = ~~[[Basketball Africa League\|~~BAL]] \| team = ~~Dynamo~~AS Douanes \| number = 327 \| nationality = Nigerian \| birth_date = {{birth date and age\|df=yes\|1993\|11\|14}} \| birth_place = [[Makurdi\|Makurdi, Nigeria]] \| high_school = [[Our Savior New American School]]<br/>([[Centereach, New York]]) \| college = [[St. John's Red Storm men's basketball\|St. John's]] (2012–2015) \| draft_year = 2016 <!--2016 is correct; he sat out at UNLV in 2015–16 before declaring for the draft--> Line 28: \| years3 = 2018–2019 \| team3 = [[Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut\|Al Riyadi]] \| years4 = [[~~2022~~2019–20 ~~BAL~~NBL season\|~~2022~~2019–2020]] \| team4 = [[~~SLAC~~New ~~(basketball~~Zealand ~~club)\|SLAC~~Breakers]] \| years5 = [[2022 BAL season\|2021-2022]] \| team5 = [[~~Newfoundland Growlers~~SLAC (basketball club)\|~~Newfoundland Growlers~~SLAC]] \| highlights = * [[~~BAL~~Chinese ~~blocks~~Basketball ~~leader~~Association\|CBA]] blocks leader ([[~~2022~~2023–24 Chinese Basketball ~~BAL~~Association season\|~~2022~~2024]]) * [[BAL blocks leader]] ([[2022 BAL season\|2022]]) [[Basketbol Süper Ligi\|BSL]] blocks leader ([[2017–18 Basketbol Süper Ligi\|2018]]) [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders\|NCAA season blocks leader]] (2013) Line 41 ⟶ 42: \| years8 = 2023 \| team8 = [[ABC Fighters]] \| years9 = ~~2023–present~~2023 \| team9 = [[Dynamo BBC\|Dynamo]] \| years10 = 2023–2024 \| team10 = [[Sichuan Blue Whales]] \| years11 = [[2024 BAL season\|2024]]–present \| team11 = [[AS Douanes (basketball)\|AS Douanes]] }} '''Christopher Ewaoche Obekpa''' (born 14 November 1993)<ref>{{cite web\|title=#12 Chris Obekpa\|publisher=NBADraft.net\|url=http://www.nbadraft.net/players/chris-obekpa\|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref> is a Nigerian professional [[basketball]] player ~~who~~for ~~plays~~the ~~for~~[[AS Douanes (basketball)\|AS Douanes]] of the [[~~ABC~~Basketball ~~Fighters~~Africa League]] (BAL). He played college basketball for [[St. John's University (New York)\|St. John's University]] in [[Jamaica, New York]] from 2012 to 2015. As a freshman in [[2012–13 St. John's Red Storm men's basketball team\|2012–13]] he [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders\|led NCAA Division I in blocks per game]] with a 4.03 average. After three years at St. John's, Obekpa transferred to [[UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball\|UNLV]], [[Redshirt (college sports)\|redshirted]] 2015–16, but then declared for the [[2016 NBA draft]]. On ~~23 April 2016, Obekpa hired an agent, which officially prohibited him from finishing his college career.~~ ==Early life== Chris Obekpa was born in [[Makurdi, Nigeria]] to parents Elizabeth O. Ameh, his mother, and Gabriel Obekpa.<ref name=PS>{{cite web\|first=Mike\|last=Waters\|url=http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2013/02/st_johns_freshman_chris_obekpa.html\|title=St. John's freshman Chris Obekpa is the new King of Queens\|work=Syracuse.com\|publisher=Syracuse Media Group\|date=10 February 2013\|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref> He has six sisters and three brothers.<ref name=PS/> His grandfather used to be the king of the [[Idoma people\|Idoma tribe]], his father is a prince, and his uncle Elias Ikeoyi Obekpa is the current king.<ref name=PS/> Obekpa's grew up around soccer fans, but his interest in basketball was stronger.<ref name=PS/> Word of his talents spread and he eventually was selected to play for the Nigerian under-16 national team.<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web\|first=Anna Katherine\|last=Clemmons\|url=~~http~~https://~~espn~~www.goespn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8933357/chris-obekpa-rose-foreign-soil-become-st-john-block-machine-college-basketball\|title=The building blocks of Chris Obekpa\|work=ESPN.com\|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures\|date=10 February 2013\|~~accessdate~~access-date=24 May 2013}}</ref> In 2010, he moved to the United States to attend his final two years of high school in hopes of being noticed by college programs (Chris' older brother, Ofu, played one year of basketball at the [[University of Maine at Machias]]).<ref name=PS/> He moved to New York City and enrolled at [[Our Savior New American School]] (OSNAS) in [[Centereach, New York\|Centereach]].<ref name=SJBIO>{{cite web\|url=http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/obekpa_chris00.html\|title=Chris Obekpa Bio\|work=RedStormSports.com\|publisher=St. John's University\|accessdate=24 May 2013\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114541/http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/obekpa_chris00.html\|archive-date=4 March 2016\|url-status=dead}}</ref> As a [[Junior (education year)\|junior]] in 2010–11 he helped the school finish with a 17–10 record behind averages of 10 points, eight rebounds and five blocks per game.<ref name=SJBIO/> In three separate tournaments he was named the [[Most Valuable Player]].<ref name=SJBIO/> The following season, Obekpa's [[senior (education)\|senior]] year in 2011–12, he led OSNAS to a 25–5 overall record as well as a final national top-10 ranking by [[MaxPreps.com]].<ref name=SJBIO/> He nearly averaged a [[triple-double]]: 12 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocks per game.<ref name=SJBIO/> The National Association of Christian Athletes named him a first team All-American, and national recruiting services listed him as a top-100 overall recruit (top-20 for [[center (basketball)\|centers]]).<ref name=SJBIO/> Line 58 ⟶ 65: Obekpa quickly established himself as a premier shot blocker during his [[freshman]] campaign in 2012–13. In his first collegiate game, he set a St. John's record with eight blocks.<ref name=RECORD>{{cite web\|first=Adam\|last=Zagoria\|url=http://zagsblog.com/articles/oblockpa-notches-new-st-johns-record-11-blocks-as-nba-personnel-slowly-take-notice/\|title='Oblockpa' Notches New St. John's-Record 11 Blocks as NBA Personnel Slowly Take Notice\|work=ZagsBlog.com\|publisher=SNY.TV\|date=8 December 2012\|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref> Less than one month later, on 8 December 2012, he recorded a new school record 11 blocks in a game against [[2012–13 Fordham Rams men's basketball team\|Fordham]];<ref name=RECORD/> this total was one shy of the [[Big East Conference]] record.<ref name=ESPN/> Obekpa finished his first year as the top shot blocker in the nation with a 4.03 per game average after recording 133 blocks in 33 games.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/chris-obekpa-1.html\|title=Chris Obekpa stats\|work=Sports-Reference.com\|publisher=Sports Reference LLC\|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref> St. John's earned a berth into the [[2013 National Invitation Tournament]] where they lost to [[2012–13 Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team\|Virginia]] in the second round.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/st-johns-ny/2013-schedule.html\|title=2012–13 St. John's Red Storm Schedule and Results\|work=Sports-Reference.com\|publisher=Sports Reference LLC\|accessdate=24 May 2013}}</ref> On 4 August 2015, Obekpa announced he was transferring to [[UNLV Rebels men's basketball\|UNLV]].<ref>{{cite news\|first=Jeff\|last=Borzello\|title=Chris Obekpa says he's transferring from St. John's to UNLV\|url=~~http~~https://~~espn~~www.goespn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/13382721/chris-obekpa-says-transferring-unlv\|work=[[ESPN]]\|date=4 August 2015\|~~accessdate~~access-date=8 August 2015}}</ref> After sitting out the [[2015–16 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team\|2015–16 season]] due to NCAA transfer rules, Obekpa declared for the [[NBA draft]]. On 23 April 2016, heObekpa hired ~~sports~~an agent ~~Aaron Turner~~, which officially ~~ended~~prohibited him from finishing his ~~collegiate~~college ~~eligibility~~career.~~<ref>~~{{~~cite~~Citation web\|url=http://www.mwcconnection.com/2016/4/23/11496094/mw-basketball-news-csus-gillon-to-transfer-unlvs-obekpa-goes-pro\|title=UNLV's Obekpa Signs With Agent, Turns Pro\|work=MWCConnetion.com\|publisher=SB-Nationneeded\|date=26May ~~April 2016\|accessdate=26 April 2016~~2024}}~~</ref>~~ ==Professional career== After going undrafted in the [[2016 NBA draft]], Obekpa joined the [[Miami Heat]] for the [[2016 NBA Summer League]].<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.nba.com/heat/heat-announce-summer-league-information-1/\|title= HEAT Announce Summer League Information\|work=NBA.com\|date=29 June 2016\|accessdate=4 December 2016}}</ref> On 21 October, he signed with the [[Golden State Warriors]], but was waived the next day.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/2017_transactions.html \|title=2016-17 Golden State Warriors Transactions \|work=Basketball-Reference.com \|accessdate=4 December 2016 \|url-status=bot: unknown \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204175639/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/2017_transactions.html \|archivedate= 4 December 2016 }}</ref> On 31 October 2016, he was acquired by the [[Santa Cruz Warriors]] of the [[NBA Development League]] as an affiliate player of Golden State.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://santacruz.dleague.nba.com/news/santa-cruz-warriors-announce-2016-training-camp-roster/\|title=Santa Cruz Warriors Announce 2016 Training Camp Roster\|work=NBA.com\|date=31 October 2016\|accessdate=4 December 2016\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221200459/http://santacruz.dleague.nba.com/news/santa-cruz-warriors-announce-2016-training-camp-roster/\|archive-date=21 December 2016\|url-status=dead}}</ref> In July 2017, Obekpa played for the [[Phoenix Suns]] during the [[2017 NBA Summer League]].<ref>{{cite web \| url=http://arizonasports.com/story/1165849/phoenix-suns-announce-roster-nba-summer-league-las-vegas/ \| title=Phoenix Suns announce roster for NBA Summer League in Las Vegas \| date=3 July 2017 \| publisher=Arizona Sports \| accessdate=18 November 2017 }}</ref> For the 2017–18 season, he played in Turkey with [[Trabzonspor B.K.\|Trabzonspor]]. For the 2018–19 season, Obekpa played in Lebanon for [[Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut\|Al Riyadi]].<ref>{{cite web \|title=Chris Obekpa signs with Al Riyadi Club \|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/asia/lebanon/284804/chris-obekpa-signs-with-al-riyadi-club.html \|website=Sportando \|accessdate=August 6, 2018 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806181329/https://sportando.basketball/en/asia/lebanon/284804/chris-obekpa-signs-with-al-riyadi-club.html \|archive-date=6 August 2018 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>▼ In July 2017, Obekpa played for the [[Phoenix Suns]] during the [[2017 NBA Summer League]].<ref>{{cite web \| url=http://arizonasports.com/story/1165849/phoenix-suns-announce-roster-nba-summer-league-las-vegas/ \| title=Phoenix Suns announce roster for NBA Summer League in Las Vegas \| date=3 July 2017 \| publisher=Arizona Sports \| accessdate=18 November 2017 }}</ref> For the 2017–18 season, he played in Turkey with [[Trabzonspor B.K.\|Trabzonspor]]. On 7 June 2019, Obekpa signed with Italian team [[S.S. Felice Scandone\|Sidigas Avellino]].<ref>{{Cite ~~web~~news\|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/sidigas-avellino-signs-chris-obekpa/\|title=Sidigas Avellino signs Chris Obekpa\|date=June 7, 2019\|~~publisher~~newspaper=Sportando\|language=En\|access-date=June 26, 2019 \|last1=Carchia \|first1=Emiliano }}</ref> He never made it to Italy however, instead signing with the [[New Zealand Breakers]] for the [[2019–20 NBL season]] on 6 August 2019.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.nbl.com.au/news/article/breakers-complete-roster-with-three-signings\|title=Breakers Complete Roster With Three Signings\|work=NBL.com.au\|date=6 August 2019\|accessdate=6 August 2019\|archive-date=6 August 2019\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806040740/http://www.nbl.com.au/news/article/breakers-complete-roster-with-three-signings\|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was released by the Breakers a week before the start of the season due to a knee injury.<ref>{{cite web\|author=NZBreakers\|url=https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1177835094523834368\|title=Due to a lingering knee injury ~~we’ve~~we've had to say goodbye...\|work=Twitter\|date=28 September 2019\|accessdate=28 September 2019}}</ref>▼ ▲For the 2018–19 season, Obekpa played in Lebanon for [[Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut\|Al Riyadi]].<ref>{{cite web \|title=Chris Obekpa signs with Al Riyadi Club \|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/asia/lebanon/284804/chris-obekpa-signs-with-al-riyadi-club.html \|website=Sportando \|accessdate=August 6, 2018 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806181329/https://sportando.basketball/en/asia/lebanon/284804/chris-obekpa-signs-with-al-riyadi-club.html \|archive-date=6 August 2018 \|url-status=dead }}</ref> On 28 February 2022, Obekpa joined Guinean club [[SLAC (basketball club)\|SLAC]] of the [[Basketball Africa League]] (BAL)<ref name=slacplayers>{{cite web \|title=Nous souhaitons la bienvenue à nos nouveaux guerriers \|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CafOMqfNhzu/ \|website=Instagram.com \|publisher=SLAC Basketball \|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> In five games in the Sahara Conference, he led the league with 4.6 blocks per game. On 25 September 2022, he joined [[Al-Ahli Benghazi (basketball club)\|Al-Ahli Benghazi]] for the [[Arab Club Basketball Championship]].<ref>{{Cite news \|date=2022-09-25 \|title=Christopher Obekpa (ex SLAC) agreed terms with Ahly Benghazi for Arabic Championship \|work=Afrobasket \|url=https://www.afrobasket.com/Nigeria/news/769396/Christopher-Obekpa-(ex-SLAC)-agreed-terms-with-Ahly-Benghazi-for-arabic-championshib...! \|access-date=2022-09-25}}</ref> In November 2022, Obekpa signed a short-term contract with Nigerian club [[Rivers Hoopers]] in the [[2022 NBBF Premier League]] Final 8.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2022-11-07 \|title=Rivers Hoopers sign D'Tigers' Obekpa \|url=https://punchng.com/rivers-hoopers-basketball-team-sign-obekpa/ \|access-date=2022-11-11 \|website=Punch Newspapers \|language=en-US}}</ref> ▲On 7 June 2019, Obekpa signed with Italian team [[S.S. Felice Scandone\|Sidigas Avellino]].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/sidigas-avellino-signs-chris-obekpa/\|title=Sidigas Avellino signs Chris Obekpa\|date=June 7, 2019\|publisher=Sportando\|language=En\|access-date=June 26, 2019}}</ref> He never made it to Italy however, instead signing with the [[New Zealand Breakers]] for the [[2019–20 NBL season]] on 6 August 2019.<ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.nbl.com.au/news/article/breakers-complete-roster-with-three-signings\|title=Breakers Complete Roster With Three Signings\|work=NBL.com.au\|date=6 August 2019\|accessdate=6 August 2019}}</ref> He was released by the Breakers a week before the start of the season due to a knee injury.<ref>{{cite web\|author=NZBreakers\|url=https://twitter.com/NZBreakers/status/1177835094523834368\|title=Due to a lingering knee injury we’ve had to say goodbye...\|work=Twitter\|date=28 September 2019\|accessdate=28 September 2019}}</ref> In February 2023, he signed with the [[ABC Fighters]] for [[2023 BAL season\|Season 3]] of the BAL.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Zahe \|first=Charles \|date=2023-02-23 \|title=BAL 2023 : L' ABC se renforce \|url=https://afriksportsmagazine.com/bal-2023-l-abc-se-renforce/ \|access-date=2023-02-26 \|website=AFRIKSPORTSMAGAZINE \|language=fr-FR}}</ref> He averaged 3.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in five games with the Fighters. On November 21, 2023, Obekpa made his debut for Burundian club [[Dynamo BBC\|Dynamo]] with 8 points and 8 rebounds in a 76–61 [[Road to BAL]] loss to the [[Cape Town Tigers]].<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Cape Town Tigers v Dynamo boxscore - Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L. 2024 2023 - 21 November \|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/africaleague/2024/qualifiers/game/1411/Cape-Town-Tigers-Dynamo \|access-date=2023-11-23 \|website=FIBA.basketball \|language=en}}</ref>▼ On 28 February 2022, Obekpa joined Guinean club [[SLAC (basketball club)\|SLAC]] of the [[Basketball Africa League]] (BAL)<ref name=slacplayers>{{cite web \|title=Nous souhaitons la bienvenue à nos nouveaux guerriers \|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CafOMqfNhzu/ \|website=Instagram.com \|publisher=SLAC Basketball \|access-date=2 March 2022}}</ref> In five games in the Sahara Conference, he led the league with 4.6 blocks per game. Obekpa joined Senegalese club [[AS Douanes (basketball)\|AS Douanes]] for the [[2024 BAL season]] and made his debut with the team on May 4, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Rivers Hoopers open 2024 Sahara Conference campaign with hard-fought win over hosts AS Douanes \|url=https://bal.nba.com/news/rivers-hoopers-open-2024-sahara-conference-campaign-with-hard-fought-win-over-hosts-as-douanes \|access-date=2024-05-06 \|website=The BAL \|language=en}}</ref> On 14 April 2022, Obekpa signed with the [[Newfoundland Growlers]] of the [[Canadian Elite Basketball League\|CEBL]].<ref>{{cite news\|title=Growlers Sign Nigerian Center Chris Obekpa\|url=https://www.cebl.ca/growlers-sign-nigerian-center-chris-obekpa\|website=CEBL.ca\|date=14 April 2022\|access-date=14 April 2022}}</ref> On 25 September 2022, he joined [[Al-Ahli Benghazi (basketball club)\|Al-Ahli Benghazi]] for the [[Arab Club Basketball Championship]].<ref>{{Cite news \|date=2022-09-25 \|title=Christopher Obekpa (ex SLAC) agreed terms with Ahly Benghazi for Arabic Championship \|work=Afrobasket \|url=https://www.afrobasket.com/Nigeria/news/769396/Christopher-Obekpa-(ex-SLAC)-agreed-terms-with-Ahly-Benghazi-for-arabic-championshib...! \|access-date=2022-09-25}}</ref> In November 2022, Obekpa signed a short-term contract with Nigerian club [[Rivers Hoopers]] in the [[2022 NBBF Premier League]] Final 8.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2022-11-07 \|title=Rivers Hoopers sign D'Tigers' Obekpa \|url=https://punchng.com/rivers-hoopers-basketball-team-sign-obekpa/ \|access-date=2022-11-11 \|website=Punch Newspapers \|language=en-US}}</ref> ▲In February 2023, he signed with the [[ABC Fighters]] for [[2023 BAL season\|Season 3]] of the BAL.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Zahe \|first=Charles \|date=2023-02-23 \|title=BAL 2023 : L' ABC se renforce \|url=https://afriksportsmagazine.com/bal-2023-l-abc-se-renforce/ \|access-date=2023-02-26 \|website=AFRIKSPORTSMAGAZINE \|language=fr-FR}}</ref> He averaged 3.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in five games with the Fighters. On November 21, 2023, Obekpa made his debut for Burundian club [[Dynamo BBC\|Dynamo]] with 8 points and 8 rebounds in a 76–61 [[Road to BAL]] loss to the [[Cape Town Tigers]].<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Cape Town Tigers v Dynamo boxscore - Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L. 2024 2023 - 21 November \|url=https://www.fiba.basketball/africaleague/2024/qualifiers/game/1411/Cape-Town-Tigers-Dynamo \|access-date=2023-11-23 \|website=FIBA.basketball \|language=en}}</ref> ==BAL career statistics== Line 131 ⟶ 134: [[Category:Al Ahly Benghazi basketball players]] [[Category:Dynamo BBC players]] [[Category:Expatriate basketball people in Burundi]] [[Category:AS Douanes basketball players]]