Louisville Adds F/C Emmanuel Okorafor to Roster

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In a surprising development, the Louisville men's basketball program has made a midseason addition to their 2022-23 roster, announcing Thursday that they have signed freshman forward/center Emmanuel Okorafor.

The true freshman big man will join the team later this week, and will be immediately eligible to play for the Cardinals, per a release from UofL. He could make his debut as early as Louisville's next game on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at Boston College.

“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,” head coach Kenny Payne said in a statement. “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.”

A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Okorafor joined NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal in May 2021 before enrolling full time in March 2022. Across all four NBA Academies around the world, he was one of just 12 prospects chosen to participate in the Basketball Africa League's Elevate program. The BAL was established in 2019 as a joint effort between the NBA and FIBA, and is regarded as the premier basketball league on the African continent.

The 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward/center played for BC Espoir Fukash during the 2022 iteration of the BAL, which is a team based out of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In five games, Okorafor averaged 9.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists and 1.6 blocks per game, while shooting 56.3 percent from the field. BC Espoir Fukash went just 1-4 during the 2022 BAL, failing to reach the playoffs.

Over the past 12 months with NBA Academy Africa, Okorafor has also taken part in the National Prep School Invitational in Providence, R.I., the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., and the 2022 NBA Academy Games in Atlanta, Ga.

(Photo of Emmanuel Okorafor via Basketball Africa League)

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