NBA Players: Tallest African NBA Players
NBA PLAYERS OF AFRICA PART 2
In no particular order. we will continue to give you brief information about the distinguished NBA players of African descent.
- Rui Hachimura
Rui was born in February 1998 in Toyama, Japan to a Japanese mother and a Beninese father. He began his basketball career at Meisei High School where he earned his team the All-Japan High School Tournament title.
Hachimura made a contract with the college team of Gonzaga Bulldogs in the US in 2016..
By the time he moved to the US, he was already ranked as one of the top international players at college, although his inadequate English was a drawback.
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After that, he went on to become the first Japanese player in the NCAA Division I men’s tournament in 2017. The Washington Wizards have selected him during the 2019 NBA Draft. He is 6 ft 8 in tall.
- Chuma Okeke
Chuma was born in August 1998 in Atlanta. By the time he graduated from Westlake High School, he had already earned the title Mr. Georgia Basketball after winning the Georgia Class 6A state championship.
While he was at college in Auburn, he continued building up his portfolio by a high number of rebounds. Despite his ACL injury, he was selected by the Orlando Magic in the 2019 NBA draft. His height is 6 ft 8 in.
- Bruno Fernando
Bruno was born in August 1998 in Luanda, Angola. His talent was discovered by the American scouts when he was playing in the Angolan national team during the 2014 FIBA Under 17 World Championship.
Fernando then relocated to Florida and started attending the University of Maryland in 2017. He earned All-Big Ten Freshman honors in just a few months.
As the first Angolan player to be selected for NBA, he was picked by Philadelphia 76ers this year. He is 6 ft 8 in tall.
- Chikezie Okpala
Chikezie was born in April 1999 in Anaheim, California. His parents had migrated from Nigeria before he was born.
He literally started playing basketball as a baby and played against adults at parks. During the fourth grade, he started training under a local club team in Yorba Linda.
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Attending Esperanza High School in Anaheim, he earned his team the California Interscholastic Federation Division Championship and received the title “Crestview League Player of the Year.”
His college years were at Stanford, However, because he had high points, especially as a sophomore. He was drafted by the Phoenix Suns and traded to the Miami Heat this year. He is 6 ft 9 in tall.
- Mfiondu Kabengele
Mfiondu was born in August 1997 in Burlington, Ontario. He attended Corpus Christi High School, followed by an unexpected last-minute entry into the Florida State University.
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During the 2019 NBA Draft, he was initially picked by the Brooklyn Nets but was traded to Los Angeles Clippers. His height is 6 ft 10 in.
- Sekou Doumbouya
Sekou was born in 2000 in Conakry, Guinea. At the age of 1, he moved to France with his mother and siblings.
His debut in sports was with football, however, his exceptional height prevented him from continuing.
At the age of 12, he began playing basketball and was quickly discovered by coaches. He joined Centre Federal de Basketball of the prestigious INSEP in Paris, becoming the youngest player to take part in three French leagues.
In 2016, he signed a contract with Poitiers Basket. Two years later, he moved to the first division via Limoges.
Having had the intention to join the NBA since 2016, he was finally selected by the Detroit Pistons this year.
This made him the first Guinean player drafted. He is 6 ft 9 in tall.
