Basketball is popular in every corner of the world. It is a spectacular and exciting sport that can bring a lot of positive emotions.
The advantage is that fans can not only watch the action of teams and enjoy their success, but also to place bets on the victory or other outcomes.
For this, it is recommended to approach the process intelligently, using analytical data and comparing the level of current championships. The Azscore service is recommended for convenience.
It offers a complete list of basketball live score on one page, which allows you to choose the most suitable match. There is also statistical data and analytical reviews.
It is necessary to know the rules of the chosen sport, to assess the strength of the team and its opponent to make successful bets. The information about each particular participant will also be useful. If the squad includes promising players, success is obvious.
Between preparing to bet and watching the competition, read the data on the legends of the basketball world. The site has a collection of the best players from Nigeria who have been able to achieve great results.
Festus Ezeli
This Nigerian basketball athlete is a center back. His professional career began in 2012. Festus signed his contract with “Golden State Warriors” in July. He has performed well as a rookie. This is due to the fact that the athlete had to play a lot of games on the main roster, replacing center Andrew Bogut, who was injured at the time.
Six months after signing the contract (January 2013), the basketball player showed his best game of the season against the “New Orleans Hornets”. He had 13 points and 8 rebounds.
The subsequent games were played without Ezeli as he was recovering from knee surgery for a long time. But after returning to the lineup in the 2014/2015 season, he scored 15 points in a game against the “Sacramento Kings”, adding another win to the team’s record. With the athlete’s help, the team won the Western Conference Finals against the “Houston Rockets”.
Ezeli renewed his scoring record already in November 2015. He showed his best performance in the game against the “Denver Nuggets”. His personal scoring total was 16 points while playing in the starting lineup. The result of the game: 119-104 in favor of “Golden State Warriors”.
2015 was the most productive year for Ezeli. He became an NBA champion during that period. But a knee injury was bothering him, so he wasn’t able to play in all the games. In July 2016, Ezeli moved to the “Portland Trail Blazers”.
He spent the entire season being treated and recuperated, and in June 2017, team management waived the troubled athlete.
The basketball player returned to the professional arena only five years later. He signed a contract with the “Westchester Knicks” in 2021.
He played in two games before being injured again. Only time will show how the athlete will perform in the future. But he should not be completely dismissed.
Michael Olowokandi
A professional basketball player from Nigeria, who is now finished with his career. He first became known in 1998 when Olowokandi was selected in the NBA draft by the “Los Angeles Clippers”.
The player was considered the best because of his tall height (2.13 meters) and tremendous arm span. But due to the lockout, management was unable to contact the athlete, so he signed a contract with “Kinder Bologna” on January 5, 1999.
Olowokandi was unable to prove himself in the Italian team. He was easily released early to join the “Los Angeles Clippers”. A new agreement was signed as early as January 29, 1999.
By participating in the games, the athlete showed himself in a positive way:
- While he was joining the team, he gave out an average of 8.9 points, as well as 8.8 rebounds. The statistics are given for 45 games played.
- In 2001/2002 the figures changed. Olowokandi scored 11.1 points and grabbed 8.8 rebounds.
- The efficiency of the last 20 games of the season was even higher. He averaged 17 points and 11 rebounds.
That impressed the public, and so the basketball player was on top of his game. But he had a serious problem taking criticism, so the coaching staff thought the player was out of control. Still, the athlete represented the team for five seasons, and it wasn’t until 2003 that he transferred to another club.
His career with the “Minnesota Timberwolves” began with the signing of a three-year contract. He did not show much results as a knee injury followed by recuperation made itself felt.
But as a member of the team, Olowokandi was arrested for refusing to leave a nightclub in Indianapolis. He also got into a fight with Nene of the “Denver Nuggets” club. The player spent the 2006/2007 season with the “Boston Celtics” before ending his career.
Hakeem Olajuwon
He is a former basketball player who played in the professional arena. He represented the “Houston Rockets” from 1984 to 2002, and played for the “Toronto Raptors” in his last season.
He led the team to victory, showing a perfect performance in the 1994/1995 NBA championships. Because of his success, the athlete is considered one of the greatest centers and the best basketball players.
As a rookie, he scored 20.6 points and grabbed 11.9 rebounds. He also had 2.68 blocked shots. During the 1988/1989 season, Hakim became the leader of the “Houston Rockets”. He demonstrated exceptional scoring performance, getting admired by the fans.
The basketball player had ups and downs in his career. The latter were due to the injury he received to his eye socket at one of the games. But after recovery, Hakim began to play even better, which won the recognition of the coaching staff and the sports community.
However, in the 1991/1992 season, a player asked to be transferred to another team. He was not satisfied with the fee, which was small enough for a top center. But due to a management decision, no exchange was made and the athlete represented “Houston Rockets” in championships for many years.
In the 2001/2002 season, the professional player appeared as a member of the “Toronto Raptors”. Despite his high-profile performance, he decided to end his career due to a back injury. Hakim announced it in the fall of 2002.
In 2008, the player was included in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Eight years later, his name appeared in the FIBA Hall of Fame. Hakim scored 26,946 points over his career, showing his boundless talent.
