The tough fight is over for Chino Hills High School basketball standout Nnamdi Okongwu.Okongwu, 17, was taken off life support and died Friday morning, according to … Okongwu, 17, was taken off life support and died Friday morning, according to Eric Cooper, one of the players’ former coaches who has remained in close contact with the family. 1 Chino Hills caps unbeaten regular season with 92-72 win over Etiwanda", "It's Ball in the family at Chino Hills basketball", "Onyeka Okongwu is Chino Hills' middle man", "No. Nnamdi would have been a starter on Chino Hills’ 2015 SoCal D1 title team when Onyeka was in eighth-grade. [31] On November 24, 2020, the Atlanta Hawks announced that they had signed with Okongwu. Nnamdi also had a 10-year-old brother, Emeka, and 6-year-old sister, Chinemya. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Three days later, Nnamdi died after being put on life support. He said when Okongwu had a day off from summer school last week he spent it working with the kids at the school’s summer camp. [19] On November 19, he scored a career-high 33 points, including 17 free throws, in a 91–84 win over Pepperdine. I could always sense that he was proud of being a big brother to his siblings and a son to such loving and hard working parents.”. LiAngelo Ball’s 69 Tattoos & Their Meanings – Body Art Guru Conflicting reports surfaced the same day, with various reports from social media as well as other coaches which said he had died. [3] His team ranked number one in the country with a 35–0 record and captured the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Open Division state title. The elder Okongwu, himself a 6-foot-9 center who played at Chino Hills High, passed away in July 2014 at the age of 17 after sustaining a serious head injury during a skateboarding accident. (James Wolfe | Daily Trojan) Latimore, who doubles as an English teacher at Chino Hills, was also a part of Onyeka’s support system. Onyeka Okongwu Popularity . Since being drafted to the NBA by the Hawks, he switched to wearing number 17 as his old number is retired for Dominique Wilkins, representing the age of his brother when … [10][11] As a senior, Okongwu led Chino Hills to a runner-up finish at the CIF Southern Section Division I tournament and its second consecutive CIF Division I state title. He bragged that his younger brothers were going to be better basketball players than him. Okongwu's older brother, Nnamdi, had also played basketball for Chino Hills High School. He had a bright future ahead of him.”. He was drawn to the program because of its proximity and coaching staff. Okongwu left high school as a five-star recruit on ESPN and Rivals and as a four-star recruit on 247Sports. Okongwu also played for Cooper’s Belmont Shores travel ball team for two years, right before his freshman year and the year after. He was born to parents Mike Okongwu and Kate Okongwu. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. [6], As a sophomore, Okongwu helped Chino Hills reach the CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinals and the CIF State Southern Regional semifinals. “He had really matured as a basketball player, but he was the same happy person. Okongwu's older brother, Nnamdi, had also played basketball for Chino Hills High School. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. [32], Okongwu's older brother, Nnamdi, had also played basketball for Chino Hills High School. In 2014, Nnamdi suffered a brain injury in a skateboarding accident and died after spending three days on life support. [35][36] Okongwu had worn the number 21 jersey in honor of his brother, who had worn the same number while playing basketball. He became the first USC player to post a double-double in his debut since Taj Gibson in 2006. Onyeka Okongwu Biography, Height, Age, Parents, Brother, Tragedy, Girlfriend: Atlanta Hawks Friday, April 9, 2021 New NBA player Onyeka Okongwu was a star before her election to the world famous championship. A memorial fund also has been set up in the player’s name and had raised $6,500 as of Friday afternoon. Onyeka Okongwu Biography, Height, Age, Parents, Brother, Tragedy, Girlfriend: Atlanta Hawks Friday, April 9, 2021 New NBA player Onyeka Okongwu was a star before her election to the world famous championship. He played alongside LiAngelo Ball for Chino Hills High School's varsity basketball team. In his junior and senior seasons, Okongwu led Chino Hills to two more state titles, earning back-to-back California Mr. Basketball honors. His older brother Nnamdi died when he was 13 years old. Onyeka Okongwu Is A Member Of . 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Okongwu wore a black bracelet that night with the words “NNAMDI OKONGWU #21, WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU” to keep his brother close to him. [29][30] On March 25, 2020, Okongwu announced that he would enter the 2020 NBA draft and forgo his final three years of college basketball eligibility. The basketballer, Onyeka Okongwu, had a brother named Nnamdi, who suffered from a brain injury after a horrific skateboarding accident. His brother, Onyeka, was 13 and devastated. Okongwu attended Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, California and started on the varsity basketball team since his freshman season. [37] He also has a younger brother, Chukwuemeka, and a younger sister, Chinemya. [17], Okongwu immediately established himself as USC's best player. Nnamdi Okongwu, a promising 6-foot-9 senior center at Chino Hills, died after sustaining a fatal head injury in a skateboarding accident. Nnamdi … A little over six years ago, Okongwu lost his older brother, Nnamdi, to a horrific accident when he fell off a skateboard and sustained a bad head injury. As Okongwu’s col­lege bas­ket­ball ca­reer takes off, he stays grounded by the mem­ory of his older brother Nnamdi, who died at 17 years old af­ter a skate­board­ing ac­ci­dent in 2014. Okongwu, a native of Nigeria, was an integral figure in the Huskies showing last year, when he helped lead them to a 29-6 record that included a Sierra League championship and a spot in the CIF Southern Section Open Division championship game against nationally ranked Mater Dei. Michelle Gardner has covered high school sports and local colleges for the Daily Bulletin and Sun since 2002. In his only college season, Okongwu played for USC and was named to the first team All-Pac-12. His older brother Nnamdi died when he was 13 years old. The tough fight is over for Chino Hills High School basketball standout Nnamdi Okongwu. Okongwu was born on December 11, 2000, and his age is 19 years old as of November 2020. He was considered a five-star recruit by ESPN and Rivals. 6 overall pick", "Hawks Sign Onyeka Okongwu, Skylar Mays and Nathan Knight", "Chino Hills basketball player Nnamdi Okongwu, taken off life support, dies after skateboard accident", "Freak Accident Leaves High School Basketball Star Brain Dead", "Chino family grieves at loss of eldest son killed in skateboard accident", "Onyeka Okongwu will wear No. 1 Chino Hills caps perfect season and puts exclamation point on being nation's best", "2015–16 MaxPreps Boys Basketball Freshman All-American Team", "No. [25] On January 24, he tallied 23 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks in a 79–70 double-overtime loss to Oregon. [8][9] He averaged 28 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks per game, earning California Mr. Basketball and USA Today All-USA California first team honors. Onyeka’s brother, and my childhood friend, Nnamdi Okongwu also played for Chino Hills before he tragically passed away from a skateboarding accident on July 17, 2014. “He just loved people and was at his best being a son, a brother, a friend and a teammate. “He was a big, joyful kid,” Cooper said. [39], MaxPreps co-National Freshman of the Year, "After brother's death, Chino Hills basketball standout Onyeka Okongwu looks to build on legacy", "No. But even before his arrival at Chino Hills, Onyeka and his family experienced a tragedy. “They are a great family and didn’t entrust just anyone with their child.”. Onyeka Okongwu Is A Member Of . Okongwu, a 6-foot-9 center who would have been a senior in the fall, sustained a serious head injury in a skateboard accident Tuesday. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions. [1][2] In his first year, he was teammates with brothers Lonzo, LiAngelo, and LaMelo Ball, who helped elevate the team into the national spotlight. [15], Okongwu finished his freshman season with offers to play college basketball for UCLA and USC. [26] At the conclusion of the regular season, Okongwu was named to the first team All-Pac-12 and the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. Cooper said he spoke with the player’s mother Friday morning and she told him the family had made the tough decision to take him off life support. [4][5] Okongwu shared MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors with his teammate, LaMelo Ball, after averaging 7.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game. Your brother is in the NBA congrats to him and to … He was born to parents Mike Okongwu and Kate Okongwu. He was placed 3 days on life support before he passed away. [12][13] After averaging 27 points, 11 rebounds, 4.3 blocks, and four assists per game, he repeated as California Mr. Basketball, becoming the fifth player to ever do so,[14] and received USA Today All-USA California first team distinction. If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. With three senior starters having graduated, Okongwu was going to be an even more prominent player. [22] He scored 28 points, 24 of which came in the second half, and grabbed 12 rebounds in a December 15 win over Long Beach State. Freshman forward Onyeka Okongwu wears No. [38], Okongwu is the son of Nigerian parents, Kate and Mike Okongwu. Okongwu was a four-year starter at Chino Hills High School in California, playing alongside Lonzo and LaMelo Ball. [27] He led USC with 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. He played college basketball for the USC Trojans. His older brother Nnamdi was a forerunner of Chino Hills’ YouTube years. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com. “I visited there and it just felt like home,” Okongwu said. In 2014, Nnamdi suffered a brain injury in a skateboarding accident and died after spending three days on life support. The elder Okongwu, himself a 6-foot-9 center who played at Chino Hills High, passed away in July 2014 at the age of 17 after sustaining a serious head injury during a skateboarding accident. [18], Okongwu was selected with the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. First Name Onyeka #1. Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 16 April 2021, at 03:34. [24], Okongwu continued his consistency into the Pac-12 season. The Huskies, coming off the best season in school history, were expected to be one of the premier teams in Southern California again next season with Okongwu returning along with brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo Ball. He was placed 3 days on life support before he passed away. On January 2, 2020, he had another strong performance, with 27 points on 12-of-14 shooting and 12 rebounds in a 65–56 win over Washington State. Three days later, Nnamdi died after being put on life support. Go to www.gofundme.com/4unnamdi to donate. He was placed 3 days on life support before he passed away. Nnamdi Okongwu passed away at the age of 17 in Chino Hills, California. Onyeka Okongwu (born December 11, 2000) is an American basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Onyeka Okongwu walks into USC's locker room and finds his cubby in the far corner. He was born to parents Mike Okongwu and Kate Okongwu. His mom said she hopes her son’s death serves as a reminder to others about how unpredictable life is. He wore a special bracelet at USC to honor Nnamdi who passed away after a skateboarding accident at a young age. She previously covered a wide variety of sports from the high school level to the professional ranks in Florida with tenures at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Naples Daily News and the Fort Myers News-Press and is graduate of the University of Florida. He led the Huskies to the CIF finals in 2014. In these cases, the average was taken. Analysts regarded him as one of the best prospects in the draft. Okongwu, a native of Nigeria, is the younger brother of the late Nnamdi Okongwu. The basketballer, Onyeka Okongwu, had a brother named Nnamdi, who suffered from a brain injury after a horrific skateboarding accident. Okongwu was born on 11th December 2000 under the star sign Sagittarius. Okongwu was born on December 11, 2000, and his age is 19 years old as of November 2020. Growing up, his basketball idol was Michael Jordan. [1] His mother, who is a registered nurse, moved to the United States from Nigeria in 1999. Nnamdi died in … His parents' names are Kate and Mike. [20] The performance helped him claim Pac-12 Conference player and freshman of the week honors on November 25. His mom said she hopes her son’s death serves as a reminder to others about how unpredictable life is. 20 Year Old Basketball Player #21. A candlelight vigil has been set for 7:30 p.m. on July 29 at the school’s football stadium. Okongwu, a native of Nigeria, is the younger brother of the late Nnamdi Okongwu. With all of these changes and stuff happening around basketball, staying home and going to USC makes a lot of sense." 17 in the NBA to honor his older brother, Nnamdi, who died in 2014. Cooper coached Okongwu his freshman year at La Verne Lutheran before he transferred to Chino Hills. Your brother is in the NBA congrats to him and to you g, Rest In Peace big dog 21. [28] The Pac-12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament were canceled due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. Cindy Bachman, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner’s Department, confirmed the death. This is a shame. Okongwu was born on December 11, 2000, and his age is 19 years old as of November 2020. 21 in honor of his brother Nnamdi, a talented young basketball player who died after a fatal skateboarding accident when Onyeka was entering the eighth grade. [16] On May 14, 2018, he committed to USC over UCLA and Arizona State. I would sometimes ask him about his family, and he would always light up talking about them. His older brother passed away following a tragic skateboarding accident in July of 2014. [34] In 2014, Nnamdi suffered a brain injury in a skateboarding accident and died after spending three days on life support. Most Popular #64369. Okongwu was born on December 11, 2000, and his age is 19 years old as of November 2020. We’d be remiss not to mention the role the late Nnamdi Okongwu plays in The Big O’s life. 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