The University of Louisville men’s basketball team has announced the addition of forward/center Emmanuel Okorafor to their roster for the current 2022-23 season. Okorafor, a 6-foot-9 prospect from Lagos, Nigeria, will join the team this week and be eligible to compete immediately as a freshman.
“We’re fortunate to have one of the premier players coming out of NBA Africa be a part of what we’re doing here at the University of Louisville,” said UofL head coach Kenny Payne. “Emmanuel is one of the bright stars coming out of NBA Africa. He’s versatile, strong, a great rebounder and excellent running the floor. We’re blessed to have him. The global impact of what NBA Africa is doing – to go out and target the young, bright stars of the continent of Africa and bring them into their facility – is vital not only to the continent, but to the world. It’s great for our program to be connected to the work they’re doing.”
Okorafor joined NBA Academy Africa in May 2021 and enrolled full-time in March 2022. The NBA Academy Africa is an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal, for the top high-school age prospects from across Africa. The program emphasizes health and wellness, character development and life skills, and gives athletes the opportunity to learn the game from coaches with professional, collegiate and international coaching experience.
Last year, Okorafor was one of 12 NBA Academy prospects chosen to participate in the Basketball Africa League’s Elevate program. He averaged a double-double for BC Espoir Fukash out of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with statistics that were the highest of any BAL Elevate program player in the league.
Okorafor has also participated in several other showcases, including the National Prep School Invitational, Tarkanian Classic, and an exhibition game at the G League Winter Showcase. In July 2022, he participated in the 2022 NBA Academy Games, where he helped lead NBA Academy Africa to a first-place finish in the tournament.
Okorafor’s first official game on the roster with the Cardinals will come next week when Louisville travels to Boston College at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday. The addition of Okorafor brings a wealth of talent and experience to the team, and fans can look forward to seeing him take the court and make an impact for the Cardinals.
