Ike Anigbogu

Ike Anigbogu
No. 13 – Indiana Pacers
Position Power forward / Center
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1998-10-22) October 22, 1998
San Diego, California
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight 250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school Centennial (Corona, California)
College UCLA (2016–2017)
NBA draft 2017 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47th overall
Selected by the Indiana Pacers
Playing career 2017–present
Career history
2017–present Indiana Pacers

Christopher Ike Anigbogu (born October 22, 1998) is an American basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the UCLA Bruins. As a freshman, he was a key reserve for a Bruins squad that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. After the season, he was selected by the Pacers in the second round of the 2017 NBA draft with the 47th overall pick.

Early life

Anigbogu was born in San Diego, California, to Nigerian parents Chris and Veronica Anigbogu.[1] He attended Temescal Canyon High in Lake Elsinore as a freshman and played on their junior varsity team.[2] The following year, he transferred to Centennial High in Corona, where he was also enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program.[3] A skinny, 6-foot-7-inch (2.01 m) sophomore, he averaged two points and 2.5 rebounds per game as the Huskies advanced to the state finals.[2]

As a junior in 2015, Anigbogu led the team to the state regional finals, where the Huskies lost to Chino Hills, who were led by Lonzo Ball.[3] In his senior year, he was limited by injuries and a family emergency.[4] Anigbogu took three weeks off to attend an uncle's funeral in Nigeria.[5] During the playoffs, he was limited by an injured knee. For the season, the Huskies were 20–5 when Anigbogu played. He finished with averages of 19 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks.[4]

College career

Ranked nationally as a consensus top-50 recruit, Anigbogu attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he was part of a Bruins freshmen class that included more heralded five-star players Ball and T. J. Leaf.[6] Anigbogu and Leaf had played on the same Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, the Compton Magic, who had also been coached by UCLA assistant David Grace.[2] The newcomers were expected to help turn around a program that a year earlier had suffered its fourth losing season in the previous 68 years.[7]

Anigbogu missed the first five games of the 2016–17 season when he underwent knee surgery after tearing his right meniscus in practice.[8][9][10] The Bruins' most intimidating player,[10] he returned to provide UCLA a physical presence they lacked.[11] Standing at 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) and 250 pounds (110 kg), Anigbogu provided highlight-reel dunks and blocks.[10] Despite never starting as a backup to junior center Thomas Welsh,[12][13] he became arguably their top defender.[14][15]

After spraining his left foot during practice, Anigbogu missed UCLA's opener in the NCAA Tournament against Kent State, but returned in the second round to score six points and block a shot in just seven minutes in a win over Cincinnati.[10] The Bruins finished the season with 31 wins after being eliminated in the Sweet 16.[7] For the year, Anigbogu averaged 4.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 13 minutes per game, and made 56 percent of his field goals[12][13] His 35 blocks ranked third on the team while his minutes played were less than half as many as Welsh (43 blocks) and Leaf (39).[10][16] Projected to be a late first-round pick, Anigbogu announced after the season that he would declare for the 2017 NBA draft.[17] Even with his limited playing time and raw offensive skills,[12][15][18] he was valued for his athleticism and potential as a standout defender.[15][19]

Professional career

Working out for the Indiana Pacers in his fourth pre-draft tryout, Anigbogu twisted his right knee, which precluded him from participating in any further workouts leading up to the draft.[20] His draft stock fell over concerns about his knee, and the Pacers selected him in the second round with the 47th overall pick. He was joined in Indiana by Leaf, who Indiana had selected in the first round.[21] Anigbogu missed the NBA Summer League while rehabbing his knee.[20] On July 12, the Pacers signed him to a rookie NBA contract, which will not be on a two-way contract.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Ike Anigbogu". UCLABruins.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Fowler, Clay (March 15, 2017). "How UCLA built its best roster since Kevin Love joined Russell Westbrook". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Whicker, Mark (March 5, 2017). "UCLA freshman Ike Anigbogu is the last line of defense". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Pareneti, Jeffrey (April 16, 2016). "ALL-AREA BOYS BASKETBALL: All-Inland first-team selections". The Press-Enterprise. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  5. ↑ Zink, David (January 12, 2016). "Huskies Anigbogu learns lesson in appreciation during trip to Nigeria". The Press-Enterprise. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  6. ↑ Hines, Travis (October 25, 2016). "UCLA freshman to miss 4-6 weeks with knee injury". College Basketball Talk. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  7. 1 2 Fowler, Clay (March 25, 2017). "Thrilling ride made UCLA basketball’s season-ending loss sting". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017.
  8. ↑ Bolch, Ben (November 22, 2016). "Ike Anigbogu is the latest heralded freshman who could soon make his debut for the UCLA men's basketball team". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  9. ↑ Fowler, Clay (October 25, 2016). "UCLA basketball loses prized freshman Ike Anigbogu for 4-6 weeks". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Bolch, Ben (March 21, 2017). "Bruins can use more roaring success from Ike Anigbogu when they meet Kentucky". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  11. ↑ Fowler, Clay (November 29, 2016). "UCLA’s Ike Anigbogu not looking ahead to Kentucky". Los Angeles Daily News. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 Fowler, Clay (April 5, 2017). "Ike Anigbogu becomes UCLA’s third freshman to leave for NBA". The Orange County Register. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017.
  13. 1 2 "UCLA's Anigbogu joins Ball and Leaf in leaving for NBA draft". USA Today. AP. April 5, 2017. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017.
  14. ↑ Tjarks, Jonathan (March 14, 2017). "UCLA Is the National Champion America Needs". The Ringer. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 Fischer, Jake; Woo, Jeremy (March 23, 2017). "Sweet 16: The Best NBA Prospects Remaining In March Madness". SI.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  16. ↑ "2016-2017 Men's Basketball Cumulative Statistics". UCLABruins.com. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017.
  17. ↑ Goodman, Jeff (April 6, 2017). "UCLA freshman Anigbogu hasn't hired agent, but he's testing market". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2017.
  18. ↑ Bolch, Ben (February 27, 2017). "UCLA could leave its mark on this year's NBA draft class with Lonzo Ball and several of his teammates". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017.
  19. ↑ Bolch, Ben (April 5, 2017). "UCLA's Ike Anigbogu declares for the NBA draft". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017.
  20. 1 2 Taylor, Nate (June 28, 2017). "Pacers see potential rewards in drafting Ike Anigbogu, Edmond Sumner". Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017.
  21. ↑ Botemps, Tim (June 23, 2017). "The biggest winners and losers from the 2017 NBA draft". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017.
  22. ↑ Lewis, Tom (2017-07-13). "Pacers sign Ike Anigbogu to NBA contract". Indy Cornrows. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
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