Ezekiel Tobechukwu “Zeke” Nnaji is a National Basketball Association (NBA) professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets.
He was picked 22nd overall by the Nuggets in the 2020 NBA draughts after playing collegiate basketball for the Arizona Wildcats.
Quick Facts
Full Name |
Ezekiel Tobechukwu Nnaji |
Known As |
Zeke Nnaji |
Date of Birth |
January 9, 2001 |
Age |
22 Years Old |
Birth Place |
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Nationality |
American |
Father’s Name |
Apham Nnaji |
Mother’s Name |
Janel Nnaji |
Siblings |
Two |
Zodiac Sign |
Capricorn |
Height |
6 feet 9 inches/ 206 cm/ 2.06 m |
Weight |
240 lbs/ 108 kg |
Education |
|
NBA Draft |
2020/ Round:1/ Pick: 22nd Overall |
Playing Career |
2020-Present |
Current Team |
|
Awards & Achievements |
|
Position |
Power Forward |
Jersey Number |
22 |
Base Salary for 2022-23 |
$2.9 Million |
Net Worth |
$2.5 Million-$4 Million |
Social Media |
|
Merch |
Early Life, Family, and Education
Minneapolis is where Nnaji was born. Due to his extreme height, he played baseball and soccer before beginning basketball. He’s been playing and using the piano since first grade. Nnaji writes his songs.
Nnaji was born in Minnesota to a Nigerian father and a Minnesotan mother.
Apham, Nnaji’s father, is from Nigeria and sang/toured in a band while in college, back when disco, funk, and soul music were popular in his country. His mother, on the other hand, is from Minnesota.
Furthermore, following in his footsteps, he has been playing the piano since first grade and now composes his songs. Nanji started playing basketball, soccer, track & field, and football at a young age. However, over the previous year or two, he realized he preferred basketball over other sports. Hence, he decided to concentrate on honing his basketball talents and participating in personal training to improve his abilities.
Maya, his younger sister, is a high school basketball prospect at Hopkins High School. Obiora Nnaji, his uncle, was a center at the University of Florida from the years 1997 to 1999.
Career
High school career
Before transferring to Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Nnaji began his varsity basketball career at Lakeville North High School in Lakeville, Minnesota. As a senior, he led Hopkins to the Minnesota 4A state championship, averaging 24.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
In the final game, Nnaji recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds. He was a member of the Adidas-sponsored D1 Minnesota club with Matthew Hurt. Nnaji was invited to play in the Iverson Classic. Nnaji was ranked 22nd in his class as a five-star recruit by Rivals, although most other recruiting agencies rated him as a four-star prospect.
He chose Arizona over offers from Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and UCLA to play college basketball.
College career
Nnaji made his college debut on November 6, 2019, scoring 20 points in 21 minutes to help Arizona upset Northern Arizona 91-52. He was selected Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Week five days later. Nnaji received the same honor the following week after leading the team with 26 points and 11 rebounds in an 87-39 victory over San Jose State.
He became the first Arizona player since Brandon Ashley did so against Long Beach State in the 2012-13 season to score 20 pts and grab ten rebs in his first three games. Nnaji was chosen first-team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year award at the end of the regular season. As a freshman, Nnaji scored 16.1 points per match on 57 % shooting and 8.6 rebs per game.
After the season, he was announced in the NBA draft in 2020.
Professional career
Denver Nuggets (2020–present)
The Denver Nuggets selected Nnaji as the 22nd choice in the 2020 NBA Draught. Nnaji signed his rookie contract deal with the Nuggets on December 1, 2020.
Age, Height & Body Measurements
Nnaji is 22 years old right now.
The basketball player is 2.06 meters (6 feet 9 inches) tall and weighs 240 pounds (108 kilograms).
The black-haired, dark brown-eyed player stands 2.67 m (8 feet 9.50 inches) tall and has a wingspan of 2.18 m (7 feet 2 inches).
Relationship Status
Zeke Nanji, a 22-year-old basketball player, is training for the upcoming NBA Draught. He has kept as much of his personal life hidden as possible. This could be because he wants to avoid drawing attention to his personal life. According to studies, he is unmarried, still single, and devotes time to his basketball career.
Social Media Presence
The Nuggets’ power forwards are a regular users of social media platforms, mainly Instagram and Twitter.
As of this writing, he has 36.9k and 8.6k followers on Instagram and Twitter, respectively.
Nnaji shares basketball-related content on both sites, such as photos and video clips of himself practicing and playing games.
Salary, Contract, and Net Worth
Zeke Nnaji agreed to terms with the Denver Nuggets on a four-year, $11,802,681 contract, with $11,802,681 guaranteed and an annual average salary of $2,950,670. Nnaji will make a base salary of $4,306,281 in 2023-24, with a cap hit of $4,306,281.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Zeke Nnaji?
Impact Nnaji will miss a 10th consecutive game due to a right shoulder sprain, and it’s unclear when he’ll be able to return.
What jersey number does Nnaji wear?
Nnaji wears number 22 for the Denver Nuggets.