Former KU center Udoka Azubuike’s ‘strength and physicality’ earned him Suns contract
The Phoenix Suns last week made official a July 31 ESPN report that former Kansas center Udoka Azubuike had signed a two-way contract with the NBA team.
“Udoka possesses imposing size and the ability to finish around the rim,” Phoenix Suns president of basketball operations/general manager James Jones said in a news release issued Tuesday. “His strength and physicality help add to our team’s depth.”
Azubuike, a 6-foot-11, 270-pound, 23-year-old big man from Nigeria, played at KU from 2016 to 2020. He was selected by Utah in the first round of the 2020 draft. He played his first three seasons in the league with the Jazz. The Jazz elected to not exercise his $3.92 million fourth-year rookie option for 2023-24 thus making him a free agent.
He played for the Boston Celtics in the 2023 NBA Summer League, averaging 7.4 points and 6.6 rebounds a game in five games. He hit 18 baskets in 22 attempts for a sizzling 81.8% mark.
When he’s not playing for a G League team and is with the NBA’s Suns in 2023-24, Azubuike will be a teammate of 25-year-old 7-footer Deandre Ayton, the overall No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Azubuike was taken at No. 27 overall by Utah in the 2020 Draft. The two know each other well.
“I feel good about playing with D.A. Me and D.A., we go way back. In high school, we played against each other. We’ve known each other since high school,” Azubuike said in an interview with azcentral.com.
Azubuike as a junior at Potter’s House Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 54-51 win over Ayton’s San Diego Balboa City team in December of 2014 at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. Ayton, who was a sophomore at the. time, had 23 points and 20 rebounds. They also played against each other at the NBPA Top 100 camp in Charlottesville in the Summer of 2015.
“Playing alongside him, it’ll be great,” Azubuike told azcentral.com. “Just us competing. Ultimately, we’re competing for one another. We’re a team. It’s all for the best interest of the team. Whatever is going to make the team better, just competing. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to that from the jump, going into training camp and competing and working hard.”
Azubuike dealt with ankle injuries in his three seasons in Utah. He played in 36 games (four starts) in 2022-23, averaging 3.5 points and 3.3 rebounds a game. He hit 81.9% of his shots.
Azubuike projects to be the fifth center on the Suns roster (with Ayton, Drew Eubanks, Bol Bol and Chimezie Metu).
Asked about his role with the Suns, Azubuike told azcentral.com: “I’m not a coach. For me, I know from my perspective what I can control and that’s come in and working hard in practice. Being a rebounder, setting good screens and being that presence around the paint when my number is called.”
“When you’re in the league, it’s a lot that plays into it. I’m going into my fourth year in the league. I have experience of what it is to be in the league. I’ve had my fair share of injuries, but opportunities also. When you’re on a team and when you have the opportunity, you’re always going to be able to showcase what you can do. Right now, I’m pretty healthy. I’m good. That’s what we’re looking for. I’m excited about it. New team. We’re going after the chip (championship).”
The two-way deal means he’ll also play in games in the G League. The Suns recently announced they will bring back to Phoenix a G League team for the 2024-25 season. The Suns’ G League team moved to Detroit in 2020. It is unclear which G League team Azubuike would play for in 2023-24 to go with appearances with the Suns.
Gradey Dick already popular in Toronto
Former KU wing Gradey Dick is adjusting well to life in Toronto. Dick, 19, was the No. 13 overall pick (by Toronto) in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
The Raptors Twitter account recently posted a picture of Dick dancing with four women as a part of the Caribana festivities in Toronto, Aug. 3-7.
“Fan favorite in less than three months,” Canadian sports writer Esfandiar Baraheni wrote on Twitter.
Dick also interviewed some Caribana attendees and posted a short video on Twitter. Caribana is a festival of Caribbean inspired events and parties held over a summer weekend in Toronto.
Dick recently played at the invitation-only “Rico Hines Runs” at UCLA. The Runs are a series of offseason scrimmages for NBA players held in Los Angeles. They are organized by Rico Hines, a member of the Philadelphia 76ers coaching staff. Other Raptors players on hand for the scrimmages: Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes and Jalen McDaniels. Players from the Sixers and L.A. Clippers also competed in the Hines scrimmages.
“Once Dick adds some weight, he will have all the tools needed to become a tremendous scorer at the NBA level. Working with players like this will only help him sharpen his game. McDaniels is a promising talent that needs one or two more tweaks to really take off,” wrote Mike Luciano of raptorsrapture.com.
Dick, a 6-8 wing from Wichita, was asked by complex.com why he’s confident he’ll be able to avoid distractions during his rookie season.
“Everyone is different. Everyone has their own priorities and I know mine. My big thing is: keeping the main thing the main thing, and that’s basketball. And just understanding that that’s what got me here,” Dick said.
“I can’t really speak on other people’s behalf because they have their own objectives with how they prioritize things —like if they see a lot of money in their bank account that might be what they wanted, which is perfectly fine. People play the game for all types of different reasons, so everybody is going to go at it a different way. But my way personally is just knowing that basketball is what I love to do and if I understand that I play the game that I love and I get paid for it too, that’s the best thing you could possibly ask for,” Dick added.
