Two adults who talk on television for a living should know better than to mock the accent of a player from a different country, as. Kelenna Azubuike talks life after basketball. During Mondays game against the Washington Wizards, Azubuike even went so far as to describe Steph Curry as a big-time player. I dont know, man. The Warriors ought to be an electrifying affair for both casuals and die-hards. But its been the great honor of my life to plot this coup on his behalf. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Its fun.. Barnett will return for his 35th season providing opinion and insights, but his medium will change. The Dallas Mavericks signed swingman Kelenna Azubuike to fill the roster spot vacated by Thursday's release of Sean Williams. I remember him being a stud, especially in 2K. Fifteen years ago today, Kelenna Azubuike made his Golden State Warriors debut in a win over the Charlotte Hornets. Azubuike has been involved with many humanitarian causes during his time in the NBA. I dont know. Barnett truly was (is) the best sort of broadcaster: a font of knowledge with a requisite respect for the past who, at the same time, is excited for both the here and now and the future. [1] Azubuike finished his prep career with 3,530 points, 89 points short of the all-time state scoring mark. Some FAQs Why did Kelenna Azubuike retire? Azubuike spent five years in the NBA (averaging 14.4 pts a game in 2008-2009) before he had to hang up his sneakers. As shambolic as the broadcasts have been these Barnett-less years, were now used to a somewhat unorthodox approach. Think this kinda funny especially since its coming from a guy who has never played a game of basketball in his life, Rivers wrote of Fitzgerald under an Instagram video highlighting the announcers remarks. I was wronged!, The incident came just a week after Rivers had a pair of fans removed from aNuggets-Thunder game in Oklahoma City,after he said they were talking about [his] family the whole night.. The former Mansfield (Texas) High School standout played in 24 games on multiple assignments to the Mavericks' D-League affiliate in Frisco, averaging 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks for the Del Harris-coached Texas Legends. You dont have to put on makeup.. He is expected to practice with the Legends on Friday and could play for them as early as Saturday night against the Reno Bighorns at home, sources said. On 17 November 2009, it was announced that Azubuike would miss the rest of the 2009-10 season after tearing his right patellar tendon in a game at the Milwaukee Bucks. Select a random fan. [2] In 2012, he caught the attention of recruiters with Basketball Without Borders and was offered a scholarship to play basketball in the United States. Its time to pay the broadcasting luxury tax and pair Barnett, irreplaceable living legend, with Baron Davis, the bearded dynamo who taught long-suffering Warriors fans to respect themselves once again, or perhaps, for the first time. [15] He averaged 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and led the nation with a 77% field goal percentage for the season. You make that deal. And still do now! Pilfer Mark Jones from the Kings. (He's) the kind of athlete that we're trying to find for our team.". We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Its more about what sort of homer you are. The Warriors named Kelenna Azubuike as their new television color analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area, replacing Jim Barnett, a longtime staple of the game broadcasts. The Warriors' broadcast team of Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike have drawn ire from off-hand remarks during Tuesday night's Golden State-Denver broadcast. Hes too good to only be calling away games on the radio. Had too much integrity. Warriors majority owner and trophy-cuddler Joe Lacob bet on the wrong horse, or rather, didnt want anything to do with the right horse. Rivers was at the free-throw line when Fitzgerald and Azubuike, who played five seasons in the NBA with the Warriors and Mavericks, struck up the conversation about his time in LA under his father, who is now head coach of the Sixers. Im very grateful for everything Ive had over the years. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. On May 17, he measured out to be a near 7' tall center (with shoes on) weighing in at 274 pounds and holding the second-longest wingspan at 7'7", behind only Mohamed Bamba. [33], At the conclusion of the regular season, Azubuike was named the Big 12 Player of the Year[34] and NABC Defensive Player of the Year. In Azubuikes defense, he is very eager to point out split-action or a nice hesitation (hesi) move and is always cognizant when someone achieves Beast Mode (and occasionally God Mode). Tuning into a Warriors game means subjecting yourself to two hype-men inelegantly bumbling into one another for 2.5 hours. Azubuike (ankle) is out Friday against the Hornets. This site uses different types of cookies. Can you integrate if function is not continuous? He looked like a soccer player there., Then, Azubuike mocked Campazzos accent and said, How can you call this? [2]He returned to the Flyers, where he averaged 26 points and 5 rebounds, while leading the D-League in scoring and ranking third in three-point field goal percentage.[3]. Well, that varies from player to player, and Kelenna Azubuike, former New York Knick, realized this the hard way when Carmelo Anthony joined his then team and wanted to take the No. [4][7], After going undrafted, Azubuike was signed by the Golden State Warriors on 2 January 2007. During his career as a professional Basketball player, He played for various teams including Texas Legends, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, and Fort Worth Flyers. Azubuike entered the 2005 NBA Draft after his junior year. But when youve fought your way into the league as an undrafted D-Leaguer and rehabilitated a bad knee for years, dealing with Bob Fitzgerald on a nightly basis is no big deal. The fit is wrong. Azubuike lost his father to an undiagnosed disease at the age of 10. Its altogether too simple to decry him as a homer. [16] His field goal percentage broke the single-season record for Kansas and the Big 12 Conference. It ended badly, A $200M bike bridge tantalized this Bay Area city. Azubuike called himself a basketball junkie who loves talking about the game. [1] During the 200607 season, Azubuike made an appearance on Bay Area hip hop station KMEL and conducted an interview while the station played music which he personally produced. 22years (September 17, 1999)Udoka Azubuike / Age. Barnett was too humble. 1 option. Azubuike was born in London, England, to Nigerian parents Kenneth and Chi Azubuike. Jim has been a fixture on our broadcast team for over three decades and has served as a comforting and trusted voice for our fans during several different eras of Warriors basketball, Welts said in the statement. Azubuike answered, "Soccer, that's what I was thinking. He's also The Chronicle's golf columnist, covering the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and all major championships in Northern California. I enjoy breaking down what I see and just reacting on the spot, he said. He looked to be a very promising young player. He was too tall (this is very threatening to the extremely wealthy). 27, trade center Tony Bradley and 38th pick to Pistons", 2020 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Udoka_Azubuike&oldid=1122683863, All-American college men's basketball players, Basketball players from Jacksonville, Florida, Amateur Athletic Union men's basketball players, Nigerian expatriate basketball people in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 November 2022, at 00:36. [1], In April 2005, Azubuike announced his plans to enter the draft after his junior year, signing with agent Joel Bell and ending his college eligibility. Carol FitzgeraldBob Fitzgerald / Spouse (m. 19902016). Tim is a really good guy, and does a great job. Azubuike, 35, has spent the last four seasons mostly as a studio analyst at NBC Sports Bay Area while also occasionally providing analysis on radio alongside Roye. Jim sat in this seat for a long time, he said. Trivia. Azubuike attended Victory Christian School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was recruited . Its more akin to Lacob-ism, and before that, Cohan-ism. The good news is its not as though Barnett has renounced calling Warriors games and embraced the life of a curmudgeonly hermit. Kelenna Azubuike was born on December 16, 1983 in England (39 years old). For sure unprofessional., The Golden State Warriors broadcasters need to honestly be stopped. The season cant come fast enough., Where Livingston wants to end career after Warriors release. He holds both Nigerian and US citizenship; his application for British citizenship was turned down in December 2007 due to problems with the immigration status of his parents at the time of his birth.[1]. 22 years (September 17, 1999)Udoka Azubuike / Age. The Fitz bingo card is the worlds most sadly reliable bingo card, and were subject to it every game, whether it be the fetishization of four-year college players, insisting the first home game after a road trip is still a road game, describing shots from a few feet beyond the arc as being heaved from Millbrae or Hayward or Redwood City, or mentioning to a queasy extent the beautiful smile of Andrew Wiggins. Once they do that, then anything can happen.. Strange references. [5] Lex 18 caught up with Kelenna this weekend to see how is handling life after . A possible solution to the pure play-by-play quandary is to bring a third person to the already star-studded booth. He got a big contract extension when, oh wait, his dad was the coach, said Fitzgerald. [35] Azubuike averaged 13.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior. Barnett fully expected to move into an ambassadors role with the team at the time. Jim was actually one of the first people I talked to when I was thinking about getting into broadcasting, said Azubuike, who retired in 2012. Of course, it must be said that Barnett would not approve of this column. He got up under Andre [Iguodala]., Fitzgerald asked, Well, whats the main sport in Argentina?, Azubuike answered, Soccer, thats what I was thinking. [4]Azubuike was selected to play in the 2016 McDonald's All-American Boys Game,[5] Jordan Brand Classic,[6] and Nike Hoop Summit. Jazz center Udoka Azubuike underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair multiple ligaments in his right ankle and foot, the team announced. Hes too noble for this kind of skullduggery. Not exactly my problem. [28], Kansas won all nine games Azubuike played including against top ten teams Tennessee and Michigan State. Barnett was willing to criticize when the situation called for it, and Azubuike expects to do the same. Now that they appear to be emerging from their recent, unsettling slump, they should be a squad reliably worthy of a nightly League Pass Alert. 4 Kansas beats Dayton 90-84 in overtime for Maui title", "Kansas snaps Baylor's Big 12-record win streak", "Men's Basketball All-Big 12 Awards Announced", "Udoka Azubuike named defensive player of the year by NABC", "NBC Sports College Basketball All-American Teams". Pairing Barnett and Davis would automatically catapult the Warriors broadcasting team to must-listen TV, leapfrogging mere respectability on their journey back from the dregs. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Now, why would Baron ever, in a million Earth years, actually do this? [30] According to KU coach Bill Self, Were all very excited about Udoka making the decision not to enter the [NBA] draft. After Azubuike retired from professional basketball, he started his career as a TV analyst. Cookie Notice He was later included in Golden State's sign-and-trade acquisition of David Lee from the New York Knicks in the summer of 2010, but Azubuike never played a game with the Knicks and was released Feb. 28, 2011. A lingering knee injury has forced former Cat Kelenna Azubuike into an early retirement from basketball. Many of us still feel a certain rawness about the semi-mysterious ouster of Barnett, a certain sadness that Davis left us for the Los Angeles Clippers after a 48-win season that was begging to be avenged. Azubuike will miss a fourth consecutive game due to a right ankle sprain. [38] On November 24, 2020, the Utah Jazz announced that they had signed Azubuike. While being a two-way player yet he called me overpaid?, Seems the Warriors announcers arent too fond of Austin Rivers pic.twitter.com/KL2yIIYfs0. How close we are to bringing lights back. His then assistant coach Harry Coxsome and his wife Donna took care of him and soon became his legal guardians. Warriors vs. Pelicans injury report: So many absences for both teams. A broadcaster obviously shouldnt have noticeable loathing for the team whose games they call. Go full super-team. Although Azubuike hasn't played since early in the 2009-10 season because of a knee injury, Mavericks officials are intrigued by the progress Azubuike has made in his rehabilitation efforts, sources said. "Utah Jazz take Kansas center Udoka Azubuike at No. In 2016, Kroichick and photographer Michael Macor earned "Best Sports Feature" from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, for their series on Antioch High running back Najee Harris, the nation's No. He currently handles San Francisco 49ers preseason broadcasts and served as the play-by-play voice for the Arena Football Leagues San Jose SaberCats, an organization which is now defunct. Azubuike relocated with his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1989 when his father was offered a fellowship at Saint Francis Hospital; his family became American citizens. His father, Fabian, was a police officer, and his mother, Florence, was a middle school teacher. The defunct Central Division won one championship in 1950. Azubuike was the first call-up of the D-League season. Details on the contract were not disclosed. Whatever we lose from not having someone explain a shot did or didnt go in will be more than made up for. Both also are scheduled to join Fitzgerald for the first telecast from Chase Center. [23], Azubuike has three siblings: Nonzo, Nesochi and Adaeze. Warriors TV announcers Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike targeted the Denver . "He's an energetic, athletic guy that's a very good 3-point shooter. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. [22] On May 30, 2018, he announced his intent to withdraw from the draft and return to Kansas for his junior season. A lingering knee injury has forced former Cat Kelenna Azubuike into an early retirement from basketball. But when youre doing color commentary, youre reacting on the spot. Im grateful that the Warriors are giving me a contract to do this. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. [20], On April 20, 2018, Azubuike announced his intention to enter the 2018 NBA draft. He shot nearly 50% from three-point range, something that Don Nelson really liked. While he was somehow able to keep pace with the other guards, he knew it was time to retire if he wanted the retain the ability to walk in future years. Fitz and Buike will merely be repurposed to roles that better suit them. Currently, his net worth is 9 million dollars. Let Barnett explain triple-threat positioning or what Bill Russells favorite sandwich was as Baron Davis waxes rhapsodical about Laura Dern or what it was like to shame the entire country of Russia when he posterized Andrei Kirilenko. [1] While attending the University of Kentucky, Azubuike majored in business marketing. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Azubuike was the youngest of 3, with two older brothers and two older sisters. [2], Azubuike attended Potter's House Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. What ever happened to Kelenna Azubuike? Then You Haven't Met Kansas' Udoka Azubuike", Potters House hoops star Udoka Azubuike commits to Kansas, "Five-star UK target Azubuike a menace to rims", Josh Jackson and Udoka Azubuike impress at McDonald's All-American Game, Udoka Azubuike honored at first stop of the Jordan Brand Classic Senior Night Tour, Kansas commit Udoka Azubuike added to World Select Team at Nike Hoop Summit, Five-star basketball recruit Udoka Azubuike picks Kansas, Four-star center Udoka Azubuike commits to Kansas, KU freshman Udoka Azubuike out for the season with wrist injury, "Udoka Azubuike out for Big 12 Tournament, KU hopeful he can return for NCAAs", "Nigeria approves Udoka Azubuike's mother's visa to travel to USA", "A former KU center analyzes the game of Jayhawks big man Udoka Azubuike", "This decade, no player has done what KU's Udoka Azubuike just did", "Devont Graham, Bill Self take home coaches' All-Big 12 basketball awards", "Devont Graham, Bill Self win AP All-Big 12 awards", "Kansas' Udoka Azubuike entering draft without agent", "Udoka Azubuike withdraws from NBA Draft. After the Warriors matched a multi-year contract offer from the Clippers in the summer of 2008 - perhaps out of anger about the Baron Davis signing - Azubuike started nearly the entire 2008-9 season, averaging 14.4 points per game and making 44.8% of his three-pointers. [9][10] Azubuike received offers from many universities including Duke, Texas, Kentucky, and shortened his final list of colleges to Florida State, Kansas, and North Carolina. [18] He was waived by the Cavaliers on 14 October 2012. Hes done an outstanding job the last few seasons as a member of our pre, halftime and post-game shows on NBC Sports Bay Area, and his familiarity with our team, our players and our fans dating back to the We Believe days will serve him well in this new role. On August 4, 2006, the Houston Rockets signed Azubuike to their training camp roster, but waived him on October 24 after only two preseason games. Late in the second quarter, while Rivers was at the free throw line, Fitzgerald and Azubuike began discussing the 29-year-old guard and his familial ties within the league. The shimmering Bay Lights turn off Sunday night as the effort to raise $11 million to fund a bigger, better version is only partway there. Yet a specter haunts Chase Center (and other assorted arenas) on the sidelines: Festooned to the team like an albatross is the bewildering broadcasting tandem of Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike. Why did Kelenna Azubuike retire? Youll be surprised by the new Forbes rankings, Stephen Curry produces high-end movie, lowbrow TV, How Curry's 3-point shooting changed the game. Were excited he will continue to be a member of our family and broadcast team on the radio side, where he will provide his valuable insight and perspective., Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. 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[24] On December 4, 2018, he severely sprained his right ankle against Wofford and missed the following four games. W Kelenna Azubuike, a member of the "We Believe" Warriors of 2006-07, is joining the squad as an analyst working alongside longtime NBC Sports Bay Area play-by-man voice Bob Fitzgerald. Radio doesnt show age. After finishing his junior season in college, Azubuike declared himself eligible for the 2005 NBA Draft, eventually going undrafted that year. Barnett, 75, has on numerous occasions worked with Roye on radio, usually in postseason games on national TV. Email: rkroichick@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ronkroichick. On July 7, the Warriors re-signed him. That remains to be seen. Theres a way to salvage the broadcast team: Jim Barnett, whom Id wager most Golden State fans roughly my age consider something of a father figure, needs to return to the TV side of things. Its even the sort of splashy move that would appeal to Lacobs Light Years brain. [29], On April 22, 2019, Azubuike announced he would return to Kansas for his senior season. [17] This high percentage was in part due to the majority of his field goals being slam dunks, which typically have a higher completion percentage than jump shots or layups. He had his own perspective, his own point of view, his own firsthand wisdom from his playing days that he was able to distill brilliantly to the average viewer for the length of any random broadcast. In his first year, Kelenna took home $251,000.Then in the following years, he earned $2.9 Million and $3.3 Million.In the 2010/11 season, Kelenna signed with New York Knicks for $3.3 Million. Austin Rivers is not happy with comments that the Golden State Warriors' broadcasting team made on Tuesday night. As I mentioned, Azubuike was a solid in-studio analyst. After playing on the Golden State squad that upset Dallas in the first round of the 2007 playoffs, Azubuike averaged 13.9 points through the first nine games of the 2009-10 season under then . Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Azubuike was the youngest of 3, with two older brothers and two older sisters. A 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) center/forward from Seton Hall University, Fitzgerald played two seasons in the Basketball Association of America as a member of the Toronto Huskies, New York Knicks, and Rochester Royals. ), there are zero hard feelings. He looked like a soccer player there." Warriors announcers Bob Fitzgerald (left) and Kelenna Azubuike Twitter Udoka Timothy Azubuike (/judok zbuki/; born September 17, 1999) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Values are based on current season type (i.e. Azubuike will receive a deal for the rest of this season and a team option for next season, sources said. Clumsy jokes. Dub Hub:Bob Myers gives an update on Andrew Wiggins absence. We've received your submission. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. He did not initially hire an agent, which would allow him to return before the combine. Kelenna Azubuike is a professional basketball player currently working at NBC Sports Bay Area as the Golden State Warriors television analyst. And he threw down a lot of spectacular dunks. It gets Jessica Alba back in the building. Its Baron Davis. Gambling problem? He finished the season averaging 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds. Sorry fans of FDRs fireside chats, he just is. Just to be clear, were not trying to get anyone actually fired here, even in this hypothetical dream scenario. Azubuike accepted a personal invitation from Jakaya Kikwete, the President of Tanzania, to take part in Leon H. Sullivan Summit VIII, a five-day convention held from 2 to 6 June 2008 in Arusha, Tanzania. He's previously contributed to The New Yorker, Vice, GQ and more. (Photo by Gary Gershoff/WireImage) / WireImage. Golden State Warriors broadcasters Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike have been criticized for making fun of Denver Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo The pair were calling the game on NBC. Undrafted out of Kentucky, Azubuike began his pro career with the Fort Worth Flyers in the D-League and was regarded as a quality defender and 3-point shooter before his knee troubles (the Fort Worth franchise has since relocated to Reno, Nev.). Im very happy and grateful to still be employed, Barnett told The Chronicle. Im not really concerned about the difficulty of following Jim. U. Azubuike Ankle: Game Time Decision Udoka Azubuike Ankle: Game Time Decision, B. Bogdanovic Jazzs Bojan Bogdanovic: Plays well but cant hit big shot Bojan Bogdanovic Jazzs Bojan Bogdanovic: Plays well but cant hit big shot. 8 small forward and the No. Hell miss the rest of the 2021/22 season. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. And not to worry, Bob Fitzgerald wont be forcibly retired either. pic.twitter.com/17FXszxmEe, Just a few minutes later, Campazzo was arguing a foul call when Fitzgerald said on the broadcast, Campazzo likes to get scrappy and then look aggrieved all the time., Azubuike chimed in, adding, See, this is how you lose your credibility. Hed still be great, or at least pretty good in that role. [1] He is a Christian music fan and enjoys creating his own music. What can the Knicks do for an encore after the thrilling h MLB's rule changes will only bring needless new degree of confusion, Yankees may get solution to to glut of infielders after NL teams' misfortune, The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave. [1] Azubuike was named to the 2005 SEC All-Tournament Team after averaging 18.0 points in three contests. You know one of nicest things about working radio? Or again, my preferred route, ignore this half-problem entirely. [19], In the summer of 2015, Azubuike attended the Sportscaster U. program at Syracuse University sponsored by the NBPA, training for a career in broadcasting. Kelenna Azubuike (@KelennA7) . N.Y Knicks player Kelenna Azubuike attends the launch of the new Trident Vitality gum at the Gansevoort Park Avenue on December 8, 2010 in New York City. But one can easily imagine why Barnett may have intimidated or otherwise irritated Lacob, a new, hands-on owner looking to replace the cogs and pinions of a former era with his own commissars. "3 grand, that's it?" [2] In his first high school game he was matched up against fellow future Kansas Jayhawk Joel Embiid. But most of us endure it. And the fan base adored him, so much so that the outpouring of support (and the inability to secure Brent Barrys services) when his forced retirement was announced even delayed his exile for a few years. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Golden State, fresh off five consecutive NBA Finals appearances and three championships, will move across the bay next season to the new Chase Center in San Francisco. The injury, plus a botched surgery that left his kneecap up against his quadriceps, ultimately ended his NBA career. [15] It seemed like he was going to progress into a solid player, and then poof a knee injury seems to end his career? The couple recently made headlines after getting married earlier in October 2022. [18] He was awarded All-Big 12 third team by the conference's coaches[19] and second team by the AP. He ferociously toes the company line, to an off-putting extent. They nearly replaced him after the 2013-14 season, when his contract expired. Azubuike played 81 games in 2007-8 for the Dubs, averaging 8.5 points. In 2012, he caught the attention of recruiters with Basketball Without Borders and was offered a scholarship to . On 17 November 2009, it was announced that Azubuike would miss the rest of the 200910 season after tearing his right patellar tendon in a game at the Milwaukee Bucks. [1] He eventually became an All-State selection, averaging 39.1 points and 13.3 rebounds and leading his team to the Class 4A State Championship Game as a senior.