Ezekiel Obe, 19, came to the United States from Africa in 2023 to pursue better educational and basketball opportunities.
The Lagos, Nigeria, native built up quite the resume as a member of NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Senegal for Africa’s top male and female prospects.
In 2023, Obe was drafted by the City Oilers of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The professional league is a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the NBA and features 12 club teams from across Africa. He also played for the Nigerian U18 National Team.
At 18, he moved to the U.S. to pursue his NBA dreams, eventually joining Accelerated Prep in Denver.
Today, the senior — standing at 6 feet 9 inches — is turning the heads of many scouts from across the country. He plans to play Division I collegiate basketball at Rider University next year.
Despite the challenges of being far from family, Obe is driven by his desire to improve his family's life and values their support.
"I know where I'm from, so I want to take my family away from there to a higher place," Obe said. "They are my biggest supporters."
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