The 6-10 power forward Emeka Okafor plays for the New Orleans Hornets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). His full name is Chukwuemeka Noubuisi Okafor which means “God has done well.” His parents Pius and Celestina flee from Nigeria, which is ravaged by a civil war in 1974 to become US immigrants. He was born on September 28, 1982 in Houston, Texas and has a younger sister, Nneka,//www.nba.com/playerfile/emeka_okafor/bio.html

Okafor made his presence felt in high school while playing for Bellaire High School. He played along side fellow future NBA players Charlie Villanueva, Josh Boone and Ben Gordon. He led the team to the NCAA National Championship in 2004. Along the way he was chosen as the NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player. He was also named as National Defensive Player of the Year and Big East Player of the Year.//www.nba.com/playerfile/emeka_okafor/bio.html

He attended University of Connecticut in college and made an immediate impact to the team. He became the team’s fearsome defender and was noted with his uncanny shot blocking skills. Solid not only on the defensive end, Okafor is also blessed with offensive skills, which makes him a consummate basketball player. Okafor’s post up plays are fun to watch yet can be devastating to his opponents on the court.

He also played for the United States national basketball team that competed in the 2003 Pan American Games and helped the team salvage a bronze medal in 2004 Summer Olympics, which was held in Greece.

Okafor was the second overall pick of the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004 NBA Draft. He emerged as the best freshman on his first season as he convincingly captured the 2005 Rookie of the Year plum.//www.nba.com/playerfile/emeka_okafor/bio.html However, on his second year with the Bobcats Okafor’s game didn’t made great impact to the team, but determined than ever he managed to turn the tide on his favor and now slowly growing to be one of the league’s best power forward.

In the 2007 - 2008 season he won the NBA’s Community Assist Award for the month of September.//www.nba.com/playerfile/emeka_okafor/bio.html Emeka Okafor was traded to New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler on July 28, 2009.

Emeka Okafor averaged 10.4 poitns, 9 rebouds, 0.7 assist, 0.7 steal and 1.6 blocks in 82 games in the 2009 – 2010 season with the New Orleans Hornets. The New Orleans failed to qualify in the playoffs this season. This marks the fifth time that Okafor will miss the playoffs since playing his rookie year with the Charlotte Bobcats.http://www.nba.com/playerfile/emeka_okafor/career_stats.html