Dragons Ekezie Earns GATORADE Call-up
January 10, 2005 - NBA G League (G League) News Release
GREENVILLE, S.C., January 11 â The Atlanta Hawks have signed Columbus Riverdragons forward/center Obinna Ekezie to a 10-day contract, making him the third GATORADE Call-up of the National Basketball Development League season and the second NBDL-to-NBA player promotion in as many days.
Ekezie is the 42nd overall GATORADE Call-up and the 31st player to be promoted since the NBDL began play in November 2001. Ekezie joins Roanoke forward James Thomas, who was signed by the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, and Asheville guard Kirk Penney, who signed with the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this season.
Ekezie played 11 games for the Riverdragons and returns to the Hawks after missing the entire 2003-04 season with a torn right ACL suffered in an October 16 exhibition game against Miami. The Nigerian-born, second-round pick of the Vancouver Grizzlies in the 1999 NBA Draft, Ekezie played collegiately at the University of Maryland. He averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds as a member of the Riverdragons.
The NBDL, the NBA's minor league, includes the Fayetteville Patriots (N.C.), Florida Flame (Ft. Myers), Huntsville Flight (Ala.), Roanoke Dazzle (Va.), Columbus Riverdragons (Ga.) and Asheville Altitude (N.C.).
The league offers players the opportunity to develop their talent in a highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella. In addition to 31 players, nine former NBDL coaches, five athletic trainers, 11 referees and 29 front office executives have also been called up to the NBA umbrella since the start of the league's inaugural season. Six additional front office executives have earned positions with other major league sports.
Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally, the league also offers fun, family entertainment at affordable prices. The NBDL is a source of on-court talent for the NBA's 30 teams and is a diverse human resources pool for the NBA and its teams by training employees in management, operations, public relations, sales and marketing positions.
• Discuss this story on the NBA G League message board...
NBA G League Stories from January 10, 2005
- Huntsville Tops Florida In OT, 116-110 - Florida Flame
- Riverdragons Obinna Ekezie Earns NBA Call-up With Atlanta Hawks - Columbus Riverdragons
- Dragons Ekezie Earns GATORADE Call-up - G League
- MLK NBDL Showcase Begins Sunday - G League
- NBDL daily developments - G League
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
