Forward NBA (www.NBA.com) Academy graduate and Washington State standout Efe Abogidi has signed with NBA G League Ignite, according to NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
“NBA Africa offered me a platform to begin my journey, and I am so thankful for the opportunities that NBA Academy and Washington State provided me,” Abogidi said. “It is with gratitude and excitement that I join NBA G League Ignite and begin my career as a professional basketball player.”
After two seasons at Washington State, Abogidi joins the NBA G League Ignite.
In 2021-22, he appeared in all 37 games (29 starts) as a sophomore, averaging 8.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.78 blocks in 20.8 minutes.
The 6-10 Abogidi was a Pac-12 All-Defensive Team Honorable Mention after ranking second in the conference in blocks per game. He also had three double-doubles, including a career-high 21 points and 14 rebounds against Washington on Feb. 23.
Abogidi averaged 8.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.33 blocks in 24.4 minutes per game in 27 games in 2020-21, earning a position on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. In terms of rebounds per game, he was fourth in the Pac-12.
In January 2017, Abogidi, a native of Nigeria, was awarded a scholarship to attend NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Senegal for the top prospects from across Africa and the first of its type on the continent.
Abogidi transferred to the NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, in June 2017, which serves as the NBA’s hub for top talents from the league’s academies.
Abogidi is the first NBA Academy Africa alumnus to join Ignite and the third NBA Academy graduate overall, joining India’s Princepal Singh (NBA Academy India; NBA Global Academy) and Australia’s Dyson Daniels (NBA Global Academy).
Abogidi joins guard Scoot Henderson on the Ignite roster for the 2022-23 season, the program’s third.
Six NBA Draft picks have come from Ignite, including three from the 2022 NBA Draft: fellow NBA Academy graduate Dyson Daniels (No. 8, New Orleans Pelicans), MarJon Beauchamp (No. 24, Milwaukee Bucks), and Jaden Hardy (No. 37, Sacramento Kings to Dallas Mavericks).
Jalen Green (No. 2, Houston Rockets) and Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7, Golden State Warriors) were both selected in the top ten of the NBA Draft in 2021.