NBA draft excites Nigerian basketball player
New NBA draft, Ejike Ugboaja has expressed happiness over the new development in his basketball career. The Union Bank forward, who helped the Lagos-based side secure a place in the final eight of the 2006 V-mobile Premier Basketball League
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New NBA draft, Ejike Ugboaja has expressed happiness over the new development in his basketball career.
The Union Bank forward, who helped the Lagos-based side secure a place in the final eight of the 2006 V-mobile Premier Basketball League recently was drafted to play for Cleveland Caveliers in the lucrative NBA League.
Though the 55th pick in the 2006 draft had long been nursing ambition of playing in the American Basketball League, visa hitches had made it difficult for the former Yelwa Hawks forward to realise his dream earlier on.
But with last week’s draft, the 6 feet 9 inches forward looked relieved as management of Union Bank Basketball club is already working towards helping him out.
"I feel great. I never believed it could come this early. Playing in NBA will not only help me but help Nigerian basketball to grow because the entire world will now see the talents we have in this country," begins an excited Ejike.
"By the grace of God, I will go there and do my best."
It was further gathered that the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF is also ready to assist the world’s second best at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia secure his visa which will enable him travel to the United States of America soon.
"It is a good development for our basketball and the federation will be ready to assist him," NBBF scribe, Segun Akinlotan said.
Meanwhile, Ejike is one of the players coach Sam Vincent will be banking on to help D’Tigers at the 2006 World Basketball Championship which dunks off on August 19 in Japan.