Emeka Okafor

Chukwuemeka Ndubuisi 'Emeka' Okafor (born September 28, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Okafor attended Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas and the University of Connecticut, where in 2004 he won a national championship. In his first season in the NBA in 2004–05, Okafor was named Rookie of the Year. He was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2009 and later to the Washington Wizards in 2012. Due to a herniated disc in his neck, Okafor was sidelined for four consecutive seasons from 2013 to 2017 before being cleared to play. Born in Houston, Texas, Okafor's parents are natives of Nigeria, with his father being a member of the Igbo ethnic group.