One Million African Lives Initiative

Emeka Okafor Bio

Rarely does an athlete come along that so epitomizes what’s good in sports - an athlete that’s smart, good-looking, fiercely competitive, and – most important – an outstanding human being. 

Meet Emeka Okafor.

With chiseled facial features and a killer smile, Emeka Okafor could easily be mistaken for a model rather than a rising NBA star.  Yet, it wasn’t his 5-page spread in GQ or feature in People Magazine as one of the Sexiest Men Alive that won him NBA Rookie of the Year honors last season.  It was his ability to single handedly change the game. Lethal on both ends of the court, Emeka’s equally adept at beating opponents with a low-post move or a mid-range jumper as he is at defending the leagues best scorers.  A rebounding machine, both offensive and defensive, Emeka had more consecutive double doubles in his rookie season than any player since 1969.

In addition to being one of the NBA’s most talented young players, Emeka is one of the league’s smartest and well-spoken leaders.  He not only graduated from the University of Connecticut in 3 years with a 3.8 grade point average in Finance, he did so while leading the University of Connecticut Huskies men’s basketball team to a National Championship in 2004.  Since being selected second overall in the 2004 NBA draft, Emeka instantly become the face of the thriving young Charlotte Bobcats franchise as he captured the 2005 Rookie of the Year honors.  Before entering the NBA, Emeka represented the United States as a member of the bronze medal winning 2004 Olympic Basketball Team.