Following years of bench-warming, when Ekpe Udoh left the NBA in 2015, everyone expected him to fizzle out and become an irrelevant player who could never live up to his potential.
On the contrary, Udoh performed so well for Fenerbache that he earned another opportunity to play in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.
During his time in Turkey, Ekpe truly established himself as an elite player.
In fact, he won the league title in both of his years while also bagging the MVP of EuroLeague in 2017 en route to winning the cup.
Since then, the Oklahoma native’s journey has seen him land in the Asian continent to play in China.
However, many of you might want to know more about this 6 feet 10 monster of an athlete. So, in order to fulfill our readers’ wishes, we have written this article.
Here, not only will you find details about his professional life but also his personal life as well. So, let’s start off with some quick facts.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Ekpedeme Friday Udoh |
| Birth Date | May 20, 1987 |
| Birth Place | Edmond, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Nick Name | Not available |
| Religion | Not available |
| Nationality | Nigerian-American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Education | Not available |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Father’s Name | Sam Udoh |
| Mother’s Name | Alice Udoh |
| Siblings | Eddie Udoh, Esther Udoh, Sefon Udoh |
| Age | 37 Years Old |
| Height | 6 ft 10 in / 2.08 m / 208 cm |
| Weight | 245 lb / 111 kg |
| Shoe Size | Not available |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Black |
| Body Measurement | Not available |
| Build | Athletic |
| Married | No |
| Girlfriend | No |
| Spouse | No |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Position | Center |
| Net Worth | $12 Million |
| Clubs | Beijing Ducks (Current), Golden State Warriors, Fenerbache (Former) |
| Jersey Number | 9 (Beijing Ducks) |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Pants, Shorts, Accessories |
| Last Update | September, 2024 |
Early Life, Family & Education
Ekpedeme Friday Udoh was born to his parents, Sam Udoh and Alice Udoh, on May 20, 1987. Likewise, Ekpe was born and raised in Edmon, which is a city in the state of Oklahoma.
And, talking about his siblings, the 6 feet 10 centers grew up with his brother, Eddie Udoh, and sisters, Esther Udoh and Sefon Udoh.
Thus, from very early on, competitiveness ran in the blood of Ekpe to outdo his siblings.
Moving on, taking a look at his educational background reveals that Udoh attended the University of Michigan from 2006 to 2008.
After that, he joined Baylor University for a year before entering the NBA draft.
During his time playing college basketball, the Oklahoma native appeared in 103 games averaging 8.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.8 blocks per game.
Added to that, he was named to the All-Big 12-second team, Big 12 Newcomer of the year, Big 12 All-Rookie team, USBWA All-District VII Team, and NABC Division I All-District 8-second team.
Career & Stats
Having had such an incredible three years playing college basketball, expectations were high on the 6 feet 10 giant to be drafted high in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Subsequently, Golden State Warriors selected Ekpe as the sixth overall pick.
Soon after, Udoh got his first taste of NBA basketball when he made his debut against the Miami Heat on November 21, 2011.
After a while, the Oklahoma native had one of the best games of his rookie season when he scored 22 points, 16 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists.
Thereafter, he stayed with the Warriors for another year before getting traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2012.
Following three years of mostly featuring as a bench player, Udoh decided to sign for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014 after hitting the free agency.
Continuing with the trend, the Oklahoma native was reported to the bench for most of his one-year stay in L.A. The reason being underwhelming performances and a lack of effort.
Thus, having spent six years warming the benches of various franchises, Ekpe finally decided to move out of the U.S to resurrect his career.
More
Consequently, he signed with the Turkish club, Fenerbache, and the rest is history because the 32-year-old led his team to two consecutive league titles in 2016 and 2017.
Among others, Udoh also earned the EuroLeague Final Four MVP, All- Euro League First Team nomination, along with winning the EuroLeague Cup in 2017.
Thus, having had two wonderful seasons with Fenerbache, Utah Jazz of the NBA signed the 6 feet 10 centers on a two-year $6.5 million deal.
Unfortunately, the Oklahoma native could not replicate his form, which saw him win the MVP in the EuroLeague the previous year.
Instead, Udoh spent most of his two years on the bench before moving to China.
Beijing Ducks
After the expirations of his contract, Ekpe was free to choose his next destination. Thus, having already played in Europe, the 32-year-old decided to play in China.
Subsequently, in 2019, he signed for the Beijing Ducks, who play in the North Division of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Since then, Udoh has been playing for the Ducks, where he is showcasing his talents to a whole new audience.
Furthermore, due to his towering stature, Ekpe has quickly gained a fan following in China.
However, in light of the recent pandemic of the Corona Virus (COVID-19), all public gatherings have been restricted.
As a result, the Chinese league also has been postponed. Thus, in perilous times like this, we hope that Ekpe manages to care for himself and stays virus-free.
Beijing Ducks Stats Per Game
| Player | G | FG% | 3P | 3P% | 2P | 2P% | FT | FT% | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
| Ekpe Udoh | 28 | .599 | 0.0 | .200 | 7.7 | .605 | 3.2 | .685 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 18.7 |
Total Stats for Ducks
| Player | G | FG% | 3P | 3P% | 2P | 2P% | FT | FT% | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
| Ekpe Udoh | 28 | .599 | 1 | .200 | 216 | .605 | 89 | .685 | 50 | 51 | 107 | 66 | 72 | 524 |
International Stats
| Season | Team | League | FG% | 3P | 3P% | 2P | 2P% | FT | FT% | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
| 2015-16 | Fenerbahçe Beko | EuroLeague | .555 | 0 | .000 | 132 | .559 | 76 | .768 | 35 | 20 | 61 | 41 | 59 | 340 |
| 2016-17 | Fenerbahçe Beko | EuroLeague | .584 | 0 | .000 | 150 | .586 | 76 | .644 | 68 | 30 | 68 | 38 | 64 | 376 |
| 2019 | Nigeria | FIBA World Cup | .609 | 0 | 14 | .609 | 5 | .714 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 33 | |
| 2019-20 | Ducks | CBA China | .599 | 1 | .200 | 216 | .605 | 89 | .685 | 50 | 51 | 107 | 66 | 72 | 524 |
| 2020-21 | Royal Fighters | CBA China | .532 | 0 | .000 | 33 | .541 | 22 | .710 | 20 | 17 | 23 | 16 | 23 | 88 |
| 2020 | Nigeria | Men’s Olympics | .000 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 2 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 5 Seasons | .578 | 1 | .111 | 545 | .583 | 270 | .694 | 178 | 122 | 266 | 164 | 227 | 1363 |
Achievements
To date, Ekpe Udoh has survived a lot. Although it’s a big relief that he hasn’t been involved in any big injuries.
However, he did face some as his back injuries, leg soreness, and wrist injuries. Furthermore, some of his achievements collected to date are listed below.
- EuroLeague champion (2017)
- EuroLeague Final Four MVP (2017)
- All-EuroLeague First Team (2017)
- All-EuroLeague Second Team (2016)
- Turkish League All-Star (2017)
- 2× Turkish League champion (2016, 2017)
- Turkish Cup winner (2016)
- Turkish President’s Cup winner (2016)
Olympics
Udoh made his Olympics debut at Tokyo 2020. He represented Nigeria in the men’s basketball event and got the 10th position.
Age, Body Measurement & Nationality
Having been born in the year 1987 makes Udoh age 33 years at the moment. Likewise, the Oklahoma native shares his birthday on May 20, which makes his birth sign Taurus.
Moving on, Udoh stands at a towering 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) and weighs 245 lb (111 kg).
Similarly, due to his giant stature, Udoh is a well-known commodity in China. Furthermore, Ekpe plays in the center position, a spot where he can fully utilize his advantage.
Nationality
Although Ekpe was born in Oklahoma, which is one of the 50 states in the U.S, his parents are originally from Nigeria. Hence, he holds dual citizenship of both the U.S as well as Nigeria.
Net Worth, Salary & Contract
As of 2024, Ekpe has an eye-watering net worth of $12 million accrued mainly through his playing career as a professional basketball player.
Likewise, the Oklahoma native has been playing professionally for the past decade, with nine of those being in the NBA.
Hence, his net worth should not surprise anyone. Furthermore, Udoh was earning a yearly salary of $3.3 million with the Utah Jazz until 2019.
However, after his contract expired, Udoh went to China to play for the Beijing Ducks. Unfortunately, the details of his contract remain undisclosed at the moment.
Nevertheless, judging by the money top football players like Oscar, Hulk, etc., make in China, we are pretty sure that a former NBA player like Ekpe is raking home millions every year.
Contract
Talking about Ekpe’s contract, in 2017, he signed a two-year $6.5 million deal with the Utah Jazz. As a result, Udoh was earning $3.3 million per year for the duration of his contract.
However, after the end of his contract, Udoh signed for the Beijing Ducks of China.
Apparently, his contract with the Beijing Ducks makes him the “highest-paid import” in the CBA (Chinese Basketball Association).
Right playing with the team, Udoh has built a special relationship with Jeremy Lin. Both together, they have bagged titles and starred for the team.
As a bonus fun fact, Jeremy Lin is the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA. Not to mention the first Asian American to win an NBA championship.
Personal Relationships & Lifestyle
Talking about his relationships, Ekpe seems to be single at the moment, as suggested by his Instagram posts.
Moreover, we could not find any details about Ekpe’s past affairs as well. Seems like the 6 feet 10 American likes to keep his personal life under wraps.
Moving onto his lifestyle, Udoh is an avid reader of books. In fact, whenever Ekpe’s not playing, he likes to read various novels and magazines.
Other than that, the Oklahoma native also likes to spend time with his mother. In addition, Udoh also visits multiple schools in China to inspire young kids.
Ekpe’s Book Club
If someone ever asks or wonders why Ekpe Udoh is so special? Someone who finds peace in a book, in a few pages of words, they are special, always.
Well, Ekpe has his own book club, and the greatest thing, it even attracted the interest of the First Lady, Michelle Obama.
To elaborate, Ekpe’s book club aims to educate and expose players to fields outside of basketball.
As a matter of fact, Ekpe created his book club back when he used to play for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Alongside it, he also added a way to interact with his fans through a series called “Author’s Talk.”
One of the most important stuff Ekpe’s book club teaches is simple, “Priorities first!”.
As Ekpe explains, if something is loved, you find the time for it; you simply find time for it because you love it.
You can find the latest news, stats, player profile, and much more information about Ekpe Udoh on the website of Euro Basket.
Social Media Presence
Instagram handle (@ekpeudoh): 119k followers
Twitter handle (@EkpeUdoh): 84.7k followers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Who are Ekpe Udoh’s agents?
Michael Silverman and Brandon Grier are Ekpe Udoh’s agents.
Which is the current team of Ekpe Udoh?
Ekpe Udoh currently plays for the Beijing Royal Fighters as the center in jersey number 8.
Does Ekpe Udoh play as a defender?
Ekpe Udoh plays in center and power forward position at the professional level.
How much is Ekpe Udoh’s rookie card worth?
Ekpe Udoh’s rookie card price ranges from $7.00 to $30.00.
What is Ekpe Udoh’s market value?
According to the TransferMarkt website, Ekpe Udoh’s current market value is €200Th.
Is Ekpe Udoh connected to Partizan?
Partizan considered having Ekpe Udoh in their team in 2021.
