Welcoming Emeka Udenyi to the UPB Family!
By: Dylan Tehada
Emeka Udenyi has played ball for as long as he can remember. He began his hoops journey playing AAU ball for the Oakland Rebels at the young age of nine and has fallen in love with the game ever since. After playing AAU ball and for his elementary and middle school teams, Udenyi took his talents to De La Salle High School in Concord, where he played on the Varsity team for three years. During his third year varsity stint he earned First Team All-League twice and led his team to the State Championship where they took on Chino Hills and the Ball brothers in 2016.
After graduating from De La Salle, he played a season at Hillcrest Prep in preparation for college ball. He began the first two seasons of his college career at City College, San Francisco where he made All-League First Team twice, led his team to a State Championship, and played a key role on a 30-0 season. His accolades at City College, San Francisco earned him a spot at Seattle University where he spent his final three years of college ball. During his stint in Seattle, Udenyi led his team to its first ever regular season championship and back to back 20 win seasons and set a school record for field goal percentage in one season after averaging 62% from the field.
Udenyi has close ties to UPB and Coach Packie Turner through his connection to WME. After being introduced to Coach Packie from his brother who works at WME, Udenyi was asked to support during this year’s pre-draft process in Santa Barbara. He then spent the next six weeks learning how to bring out the best in prospective NBA players as they prepare for the draft. He also participated in this year’s Mini Camp at the gym where he furthered his knowledge about how to train with NBA level athletes and bring out the best in their game.
Udenyi was part of many winning teams throughout his career and seeks to instill the traits necessary to be a key contributor on such teams to the athletes that train with him at UPB. The impact he hopes to make is rooted in his desire to give back to the next generation of hoopers. The game has given so much to Udenyi throughout his journey and he is excited to impart his wisdom and share his experience with the UPB community.
“I'm looking forward to helping [the athletes at UPB] as much as I can. Make sure they are having fun and loving the game because you want to do something you love. That's the main thing, why I still want to stay in basketball because even though I'm not playing, I still love the game,” Udenyi said.
Udenyi has learned many lessons on and off the court throughout his journey. Whether it be through setting school records or playing in state championships, he has a lot of lessons to share and experiences for young athletes to learn from. He understands firsthand the work ethic and determination necessary to take his game to new heights and seeks to instill these qualities in the athletes he trains with. His key to success: never giving up and always working hard.
“Never give up, put that time in and even when you don't see it right away the results will come…You gotta trust yourself, put your head down and keep working,” Udenyi stated.
We are excited to welcome Emeka to the team and have no doubt that he will bring lots of energy and wisdom to the gym!
