Pius Ayinor With Agency Reports
18 October 2007
Lagos — The San Antonio Spurs have signed swingman Ime Udoka, the team announced on Tuesday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed for the Nigerian national team off guard/small forward, but the San Antonio Express-News reported that the deal is believed to be for two years and "slightly more than $2 million."
Udoka, 30, averaged 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 75 games with the Portland Trail Blazers in his first full season in the NBA but has a very quality record with The Tigers as he remained the team's highest scorer at the Algeria 2005 African Cup and the FIBA World Championship in Japan the following year.
Undrafted out of Portland State in 2000, Udoka also has spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and the D-League's Forth Worth Flyers under Sam Vincent who was coaching the Nigerian national team during the period.
It has been a tough off-season for Udoka, who is rehabilitating from a partially torn meniscus. He missed the final seven contests of the 2006-07 season with the Trail Blazers out of playoff contention. The injury also forced him out of the Nigerian team to the African Nations Cup held in Angola in August.
But Udoka likely will get more playing time after leaving Portland, which has a crowded frontcourt after a busy off season.
His transfer to San Antonio is a big morale boost for the player and his country as they prepare for the 2009 African Cup as he plays alongside Tim Duncan, Ginobilli and Tony Parker in the NBA championship team. Ime is a younger brother to Mfon Udoka, the captain of the female national team.
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