Ekpe Udoh ends his playing career as he transits to an assistant coach for the Hawks

• He is a Nigerian-American professional basketball coach and former player
• He was EuroLeague champion with Virtus Bologna in 2023
• He is an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks

Ekpedeme Friday is a Nigerian-American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently the assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines and the Baylor Bears before he was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the sixth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft.

Udoh played in the NBA for 11 seasons and the most recent one was for the Utah Jazz, also played professionally in China and Italy. He retired from playing professional basketball and was appointed the assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks, a position that he currently holds.

Ekpeh Udoh’s Personal Life

The player was born on May 20 1987 in Edmond, Oklahoma, U.S. to Nigerian parents Sam and Alice Udoh. His father was a professor at the University of Central Oklahoma while his mother was a nurse.

Ekpe Udoh. Sports Illustrated

He has an elder brother by the name of Eddie and two younger sisters Esther and Sefon. Udoh attended Edmond North High School in Oklahoma where he excelled in basketball and academics. He then joined the Michigan Wolverines and the Baylor Bears where he earned recognition for his defensive abilities.

Ekpe is known for his love of reading and runs a public book club, which makes him believe that everybody can read if he still finds time to do so with his busy basketball schedule, and married man.

Ekpe Udoh’s Career from a Player to an Assistant Coach

His career journey began in Edmond, Oklahoma where he attended Edmond North High School, and became a standout player earning All-State honors and leading his team to a state championship.

Udoh played college basketball for both the Michigan Wolverines and the Baylor Bears where he was known for his defensive prowess earning Big 12 Defensive of the Year honors and First-team All-Big 12 recognition.

In the 2010 NBA draft, he was selected by the Golden State Warriors and since then, he has played for several NBA teams including the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz and Beijing Ducks throughout his 11-year NBA career.

Ekpe Udoh. Photo/Eurosport

While playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, he led them to an NBA championship win and internationally, he played for Virtus Bologna in Italy, where he won a EuroLeague championship.

Coaching Career

After playing in the NBA for 11 years, Udoh embarked on a new challenge when he was appointed to join the Atlanta Hawks as an assistant coach. His transition from playing to coaching showcases his passion for the game and his desire to share knowledge and experience.

Ekpe Udoh Achievements

In his 11-year NBA career as a player, he earned several accolades as an individual and a team and here we look at some of his most notable achievements:

• He won an NBA Championship with the Milwaukee Bucks
• He reached the playoffs with the Bucks for three consecutive years, the Clippers for one season and the Spurs for one season.
• He was selected for his outstanding defensive contributions with the Clippers in 2013 for All-Defensive Second Team
• He earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year recognition while playing for Baylor University.
• He was honoured for his overall performance at Baylor University with the First-team All-Big 12
• His strong defensive metrics made him consistently ranked highly in advanced defensive metrics throughout his career.

Udoh’s Expected Impacts on the Atlanta Hawks

While reading someone’s mind is not easy, we can gauge our expectations with his previous performances. His biggest strength in his playing career was his defense and we expect him to implement strategies based on his knowledge of various offensive styles, as well as mentoring and coaching players on defensive techniques.

He is also in a position to boost the team’s defensive intensity and communication by fostering a culture of effort on the defensive end.