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| height_in = 9
| weight_lb = 230
| league =
| team =
| number =
| 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-->
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| years3 = 2018–2019
| team3 = [[Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut|Al Riyadi]]
| years4 = [[
| team4 = [[
| years5 = [[2022 BAL season|2021-2022]]
| team5 = [[
| highlights = * [[Chinese Basketball Association|CBA]] blocks leader ([[2023–24 Chinese Basketball Association season|2024]])
* [[BAL blocks leader]] ([[2022 BAL season|2022]])
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| years9 = 2023
| team9 = [[Dynamo BBC|Dynamo]]
| years10 =
| 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 for the [[
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]]. ==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=
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/>
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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=
On 23 April 2016, ==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>▼
▲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 7 June 2019, Obekpa signed with Italian team [[S.S. Felice Scandone|Sidigas Avellino]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/sidigas-avellino-signs-chris-obekpa/|title=Sidigas Avellino signs Chris Obekpa|date=June 7, 2019|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 had to say goodbye...|work=Twitter|date=28 September 2019|accessdate=28 September 2019}}</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>
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>▼
▲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==
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[[Category:Dynamo BBC players]]
[[Category:Expatriate basketball people in Burundi]]
[[Category:AS Douanes basketball players]]
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