Ayinde Ubaka

Ayinde Ubaka
Personal information
Born (1985-02-09) February 9, 1985
San Francisco, California
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight 205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school Oakland (Oakland, California)
College California (2003–2007)
NBA draft 2007 / Undrafted
Playing career 2007–2013
Position Point guard / Shooting guard
Career history
2007 Czarni Słupsk
2007–2008 Skyliners Frankfurt
2008 Antwerp Giants
2008–2009 Anaheim Arsenal
2009 Phantoms Braunschweig
2009–2010 Gold Coast Blaze
2010–2011 Cairns Taipans
2011–2012 Melbourne Tigers
2012 Wollongong Hawks
2012–2013 BC Goverla
2013 Melbourne Tigers
Career highlights and awards

Ayinde X. Ubaka (born February 9, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the University of California, Berkeley and spent seven seasons playing professionally overseas.

High school career

Ubaka attended Oakland High School in Oakland, California. As a junior, he averaged 23 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists per game. As a senior, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game as he earned fourth-team Parade All-American honors, selected first team all-state by Cal-Hi Sports, first-team All-ANG Newspapers and league MVP, and chosen All-Metro by the San Francisco Chronicle.[1]

Ubaka also played both quarterback and cornerback on the Oakland High football team his sophomore and senior years.[1]

College career

In his freshman season at California, Ubaka ranked third in the Pac-10 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.96) and ninth in the league in assists to earn honorable mention Pac-10 All-Freshman honors. He also earned Cal's 2004 Most Unselfish Player Award. In 28 games (26 starts), he averaged 6.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.[1][2]

In his sophomore season, he missed a portion of the year due to injury. On November 23, 2004, he broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot which required surgery and two months on the sidelines. He returned to action on January 15, 2005. In 18 games (11 starts), he averaged 6.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.[1][2]

In his junior season, he improved dramatically. He was named to the second team NABC all-district, as well as the all-tournament team at the Pac-10 Tournament. He was also the co-recipient of Cal's Most Improved Player Award. In 31 games (all starts), he averaged 14.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.[1][2]

In his senior season, he had another solid year as he was named to the All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention team. In 33 games, he averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.[1][2]

Professional career

Europe

After going undrafted in the 2007 NBA draft, Ubaka joined the Charlotte Bobcats for the 2007 NBA Summer League. He later signed with Śląsk Wrocław of Poland but left after pre-season. In November 2007, he signed with Czarni Słupsk but managed just two games for the club before moving to Germany and joining Skyliners Frankfurt on a two-month contract.[3] In January 2008, he left Skyliners after appearing in 11 games and signed with the Antwerp Giants for the rest of the season.[4]

In July 2008, Ubaka joined the Golden State Warriors for the 2008 NBA Summer League. On November 6, 2008, he was allocated to the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League.[5] On January 2, 2009, he was waived by the Arsenal. Ubaka played 12 games for the Arsenal where he averaged 3.2 points and 1.1 rebounds in a reserve role.[6] On February 20, 2009, he signed with Phantoms Braunschweig of Germany for the rest of the season.[7]

Australia

In August 2009, Ubaka signed with the Gold Coast Blaze for the 2009–10 NBL season.[8] In 22 games for the Blaze, he averaged 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.[9]

On June 1, 2010, Ubaka signed with the Cairns Taipans for the 2010–11 NBL season.[10][11] The Taipans were picked to finish towards the bottom of the ladder, but the over achieving team made it to the Final Four, led by Ubaka. He was selected to the All-NBL Third Team and he helped the Taipans to their first ever grand final appearance. In 34 games for the Taipans, he averaged 13.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.[9]

In May 2011, Ubaka signed with the Melbourne Tigers for the 2011–12 NBL season.[12] On January 16, 2012, he was released by the Tigers following a disappointing 60-73 loss to the Gold Coast Blaze the previous day.[13][14] A week later, he signed with the Wollongong Hawks for the rest of the season.[15][16] Ironically, Ubaka's first game for the Hawks was against the Melbourne Tigers. He scored 15 points and led the Hawks to an upset win.[17]

Ukraine

On November 9, 2012, Ubaka signed with BC Goverla of the Ukraine for the rest of the season.[18] In January 2013, he left Goverla after appearing in 13 games where he averaged 8.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

Return to Melbourne

On October 8, 2013, Ubaka returned to the Melbourne Tigers, signing with the club for the 2013–14 NBL season.[19][20] However, just seven games into the season, he was released by the Tigers on November 17, 2013.[21] No longer his former self, Ubaka's lack of production was a key factor in his release. He averaged just 5.3 points per game in his short seven-game stint with the Tigers,[9] effectively ending his career.

Post-playing career

In January 2014, Ubaka joined Project Basketball as a skills trainer and as their Director of Player Development.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Ayinde Ubaka Bio". CalBears.com. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ayinde Ubaka Stats". Sport-Reference.com. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Skyliners add rookie playmaker Ayinde Ubaka". Eurocupbasketball.com. November 26, 2007. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Ayinde Ubaka niet tegen Bergen". Nieuwsblad.be (in Dutch). January 12, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  5. ↑ Garcia, Mark (November 6, 2008). "Arsenal receive three players". OCRegister.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Arsenal Reacquires Chet Mason". PhoenixSuns.info. January 2, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Ubaka verstärkt Phantoms Braunschweig". DerWesten.de (in German). February 20, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Late News with Kevin Lisch". JR, On Fire. August 12, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 "Player statistics for Ayinde Ubaka". FoxSportsPulse.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  10. ↑ "TAIPANS SIGN DUO". SkySport.co.nz. June 1, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Taipans sign Ubaka, re-sign Williams". Sportando.com. June 2, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Tigers set to sign two new imports". BackPageLead.com.au. May 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Ubaka, Tigers Part Ways". Tigers.com.au. January 16, 2012. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Flailing Tigers sack import Ayinde Ubaka". HeraldSun.com.au. January 16, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Hawks add American star Ayinde Ubaka". Hawks.com.au. January 23, 2012. Archived from the original on May 22, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Ubaka signs with the Hawks". AndTheFoul.net. January 23, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Ubaka fires against Tigers". TheAge.com.au. January 28, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Hoverla signs Ayinde Ubaka". Sportando.com. November 9, 2012. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  19. ↑ "MELBOURNE Tigers welcome Ayinde Ubaka back to the club". Tigers.com.au. October 8, 2013. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  20. ↑ "Ubaka returns to Melbourne as late replacement". NBL.com.au. October 8, 2013. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Melbourne Tigers Release Ayinde Ubaka". NBL.com.au. November 17, 2013. Archived from the original on November 19, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Meet New Project Basketball Skills Trainer Ayinde Ubaka!!". YouTube.com. January 29, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
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