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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:25:25 GMT
Al-Farouq Ajiede Aminu
 Al-Farouq Ajiede Aminu (born September 21, 1990) in Atlanta, Georgia, is an American-Nigerian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays internationally with the Nigeria national basketball team. Aminu was selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2010 NBA draft with the 8th overall pick. Aminu's parents are Aboubakar and Anjirlic Aminu, and he is a descendant from a line of Nigerian kings. His brother, Alade Aminu, is also a professional basketball forward
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:26:38 GMT
Bam Adebayo
 Born on July 18, 1997. He's 18 years old. Future NBA star and top 10 prospect.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:29:26 GMT
Michael Olowokandi Michael Olowokandi (born 3 April 1975) is a retired professional basketball player. Born in Nigeria, he attended college on a basketball scholarship in the United States, and was the number one pick in the 1998 NBA draft, where he was selected as a center by the Los Angeles Clippers. He played professionally until 2007. Regarded as one of the greatest draft busts, Olowokandi's skills never translated to the NBA, and his career was marred by injury and inconsistency. He retired from professional basketball in 2007. In 1995, he enrolled at University of the Pacific after opening to the school's page in Peterson's Guide to American Colleges and Universities. At a 7-foot height, Michael Olowokandi called the basketball office at Pacific in the hopes that he would be accepted.[1] During his junior year, Olowokandi led his team to the 1997 NCAA Tournament. He averaged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game his senior year and graduated with a degree in economics in 1998; his No. 55 jersey was retired.[3] After his senior year, he was drafted with the first overall pick of the 1998 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. Because of the 1998–99 NBA lockout, the season in which he was drafted, Olowokandi signed for Italian team Kinder Bologna. When he eventually signed for the Clippers he played there for five seasons. Afterward, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 2003-04 NBA season. On 26 January 2006, he was traded to the Boston Celtics in a multi-player trade. In 500 regular season NBA games (399 games started), Olowokandi averaged 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.39 blocked shots per game. In 15 playoff games (2 starts), he averaged 2.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.73 blocks per game. In the 2001–2002 season, Olowokandi saw the most playing time of his career and averaged 11.1 points and 8.8 rebounds. During the last 20 games of that season, he averaged 17 points a game and 11 rebounds, and was considered one of the biggest free agents in the 2002–2003 free agency class. He played 36 games in the 2002–2003 season before sustaining an injury that forced him to miss the rest of the season. In his last year with the Los Angeles Clippers, he sustained a hernia and knee injury, which greatly hindered his ability after being listed as a top free agent prospect for the 2002–03 season. He finished that season averaging 12.3 points (on 42.7% shooting from the floor) 9.1 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, and 2.7 turnovers per game. During that offseason, he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. His time with the Timberwolves was marked by serious injury and inconsistent play.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:32:00 GMT
Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (/ɵˈlaɪdʒəwɒn/; [olaɟuwɔ̃]; born January 21, 1963), formerly known as Akeem Olajuwon, is a Nigerian-American retired professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) (but closer to 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) by his own admission), Olajuwon is considered one of the greatest centers ever to play the game. He was nicknamed "The Dream" during his basketball career, for his grace on and off the court. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Olajuwon traveled from his home country to play for the University of Houston under Coach Guy Lewis. His college career for the Cougars included three trips to the Final Four. Olajuwon was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the first overall selection of the 1984 NBA draft, a draft that included Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. He combined with the 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) Ralph Sampson to form a duo dubbed the "Twin Towers". The two led the Rockets to the 1986 NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Boston Celtics. After Sampson was traded to the Warriors in 1988, Olajuwon became the Rockets' undisputed leader. He led the league in rebounding twice (1989, 1990) and blocks three times (1990, 1991, 1993). Raised as a Muslim, Olajuwon became more devoted to the faith during this period and corrected the spelling of his name from Akeem to Hakeem. Despite very nearly being traded during a bitter contract dispute before the 1992–93 season, he remained in Houston where in 1993–94, he became the only player in NBA history to win the NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP awards in the same season. His Rockets won back-to-back championships against the New York Knicks (avenging his college championship loss to Patrick Ewing), and Shaquille O'Neal's Orlando Magic. In 1996, Olajuwon was a member of the Olympic gold-medal-winning United States national team, and was selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He ended his career as the league's all-time leader in blocks, with 3,830, and is one of four NBA players to record a quadruple-double. Olajuwon was born to Salim and Abike Olajuwon, middle-class Yoruba owners of a cement business in Lagos, Nigeria. "Olajuwon" translates to "wealth that surpasses" in Yoruba. He was the third of six children. He credits his parents with instilling virtues of hard work and discipline into him and his siblings; "They taught us to be honest, work hard, respect our elders, and believe in ourselves". Olajuwon has expressed displeasure at his childhood in Nigeria being characterized as backward. "Lagos is a very cosmopolitan city...There are many ethnic groups. I grew up in an environment at schools where there were all different types of people." During his youth, Olajuwon was a soccer goalkeeper, which helped give him the footwork and agility to balance his size and strength in basketball, and also contributed to his shot-blocking ability.[8] Olajuwon did not play basketball until the age of 15, when he entered a local tournament. It has been said that a coach in Nigeria once asked him to dunk and demonstrated while standing on a chair. Olajuwon then tried to stand on the chair himself. When redirected by staff not to use the chair, Hakeem could initially not dunk the basketball. Despite early struggles, Olajuwon quickly became taken with the game: "Basketball is something that is so unique. That immediately I pick up the game and, you know, realize that this is the sport for me. All the other sports just become secondary.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:38:50 GMT
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar My family was brought to America by a French planter named Alcindor, who came here from Trinidad in the 18th century. My people were Yoruba, and their culture survived slavery... My father found out about that when I was a kid, and it gave me all I needed to know that, hey, I was somebody, even if nobody else knew about it. When I was a kid, no one would believe anything positive that you could say about black people. And that's a terrible burden on black people, because they don't have an accurate idea of their history, which has been either suppressed or distorted. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr.; April 16, 1947) is an American retired professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), a record 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar twice was voted NBA Finals MVP. In 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. NBA coach Pat Riley and players Isiah Thomas and Julius Erving have called him the greatest basketball player of all time. After winning 71 consecutive basketball games on his high school team in New York City, Lew Alcindor attended college at UCLA, where he played on three consecutive national championship basketball teams and was a record three-time MVP of the NCAA Tournament.[6] Drafted by the one-season-old Bucks franchise in the 1969 NBA draft with the first overall pick, Alcindor spent six seasons in Milwaukee. After winning his first NBA championship in 1971, he adopted the Muslim name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at age 24. Using his trademark "skyhook" shot, he established himself as one of the league's top scorers. In 1975, he was traded to the Lakers, with whom he played the last 14 seasons of his career and won five NBA championships. Abdul-Jabbar's contributions were a key component in the "Showtime" era of Lakers basketball. Over his 20-year NBA career his team succeeded in making the playoffs 18 times and past the 1st round in 14 of them; his team reached the NBA Finals 10 times. At the time of his retirement in 1989, Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA's all-time leader in points scored (38,387), games played (1,560), minutes played (57,446), field goals made (15,837), field goal attempts (28,307), blocked shots (3,189), defensive rebounds (9,394), and personal fouls (4,657). He remains the all-time leading scorer in the NBA, and is ranked 3rd all-time in both rebounds and blocks. In 2007 ESPN voted him the greatest center of all time, and in 2008 they named him the "greatest player in college basketball history."[8] Abdul-Jabbar has also been an actor, a basketball coach, and a best-selling author. In 2012, he was selected by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be a U.S. global cultural ambassador. Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. was born in New York City, the only child of Cora Lillian, a department store price checker, and Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Sr., a transit police officer and jazz musician. At birth, he weighed 12 pounds 11 ounces (5.75 kg) and was 22 1⁄2 inches (57 cm) long. He was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended Power Memorial Academy, a Catholic high school in Manhattan.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:44:50 GMT
Adewale Ogunleye
 Adewale Ogunleye ( born August 9, 1977) is a former American football defensive end who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Indiana. Ogunleye is of Nigerian background, and his grandfather was the Yoruba king of the city-state of Emure in Ekiti State. Ogun in his surname means "The god of iron." His father is a social worker employed by the City of New York. Ogunleye played high school football at Tottenville High School in his hometown of Staten Island, New York City, New York. He was a classmate of Major League baseball All Star starting pitcher Jason Marquis and a teammate of three-time Super Bowl winning offensive guard Joe Andruzzi
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:46:29 GMT
B. J. Raji (Busari Alamu Raji)
 Busari Alamu "B. J." Raji, Jr. (born July 11, 1986) is an American football nose tackle for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Boston College. He was drafted by the Packers with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Raji was born in New York City on July, 11, 1986, the son to Busari Raji, Sr. and Mamie Raji. A three-year starter on both the offensive and defensive lines at Westwood Regional High School, he earned All-State, All-Conference, and All-County honors as a senior. Raji was also a two-time All-Bergen County Scholastic League choice. In 2003, he recorded 75 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. He was selected to play in the 2004 Governor's Bowl, a game played between the top high-school seniors in New Jersey and New York.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:47:28 GMT
Chris Banjo Ayokunmi Christopher Oluwaseun "Chris" Banjo (born February 26, 1990) is an American football safety for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU. He was signed as undrafted free agent by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012. Chris Banjo attended Southern Methodist University in Texas. Banjo came into college ranked as the nation's no. 95 safety by ESPN.com, and was a two-star Rivals.com and Scout.com prospect. In his four years at SMU he recorded 174 total tackles, 4 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries Chris was born to Nigerian parents who migrated to Houston. His mother passed away in 2010. His name "Oluwaseun" means "We thank God" in Yoruba.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:48:30 GMT
Jay Ajayi
 Jay Ajayi (born June 15, 1993) is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college football at Boise State. Ajayi was born in London, England to Nigerian parents and moved to Maryland in the United States when he was in fourth grade in 2000.[1][2] He eventually moved to Texas, where he attended Frisco Liberty High School in Frisco. As a senior, he rushed for 2,240 yards and had 35 touchdowns. He also earned one varsity letter in track & field as a member of the 4x400-meter (3:21.75), 4 × 200 m (1:29.44) and 4 × 100 m (42.86) district championship teams. Considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was ranked as the 41st best running back prospect of his class
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:49:21 GMT
Brendon Ayanbadejo
 Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo ( born September 6, 1976) is an American football linebacker and special teamer who played in Canadian Football League (CFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons. He played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 1999. Ayanbadejo has been selected to the Pro Bowl three times as a special teams player. He also was named to the All-Pro team two times as special teams player by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association. He has also been a member of the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins of the NFL, the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions of the CFL. Ayanbadejo was born in Chicago to a Nigerian father and an American mother of Irish descent. His name "Oladele" is the Yoruba translation for "Wealth comes home"He has one older brother, Obafemi Ayanbadejo, also a professional football player. Shortly after his birth the family moved to Nigeria, but after his parents separated he returned to the United States with his mother, settling in Chicago and then Santa Cruz, California. He attended Santa Cruz High School. At Santa Cruz High School Brendon played tight end and led the cardinals to a 12-1 year and a trip to the state championship.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:50:02 GMT
Akin Ayodele
 Akinola James "Akin" Ayodele (born September 17, 1979) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue. He was also a member of the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. "Akin" is a short name for "Akinola", which in Yoruba language means 'the brave and wealthy one'. His younger brother Remi Ayodele played defensive tackle in the NFL.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:51:52 GMT
Remi Ayodele
 Remilekun "Remi" Ayodele (born April 22, 1983) is a former American football defensive tackle. Ayodele was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Oklahoma. Ayodele has also been a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and Minnesota Vikings. He is the younger brother of NFL linebacker Akin Ayodele. Ayodele attended South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas and was a letterman in football. He is of Nigerian descent.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:53:48 GMT
Henry Akinwande
 Henry Akinwande (born 12 October 1965) is a retired English professional heavyweight boxer and former WBO heavyweight champion. Akinwande was born in London, England but went to live in his parents homeland of Nigeria as a 4-year-old and came back to England as a 21-year-old (1986). As an amateur boxing out of the Lynn amateur boxing club in Camberwell, SE London, he was ABA heavyweight champion in both 1988 and 1989, beating another fellow Nigerian and future WBO heavyweight champion Herbie Hide and represented Great Britain in the heavyweight division at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:55:27 GMT
Obafemi Ayanbadejo
 Obafemi Devin Ayanbadejo (born March 5, 1975) is a former American football fullback. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 1997. He played college football at San Diego State. Ayanbadejo also played for the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and has been on the offseason roster of the Chicago Bears. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV. He is the older brother of NFL linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo. Ayanbadejo was born in Chicago to a Nigerian father and an American mother of Irish descent. He played high school football at Santa Cruz High School.
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Post by Shymmex on Dec 4, 2015 15:55:51 GMT
Ade Jimoh
 Adebola Olurotimi "Ade" Jimoh (born April 18, 1980) is a former American football cornerback. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Utah State University. Jimoh has also been a member of the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots. His name "Adebola" means "Crown meets wealth" in the Yoruba language. Jimoh grew up in Canoga Park and attended El Camino Real High School where he was a two-year letterman and a second-team all-league selection, as well as a preseason third-team all-area pick. In his senior year, his team won the city championship.
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