Festus Ezeli

One of five children, Ezeli remembered in a 2011 interview with Andy Katz of ESPN.com, "My parents told me I was an unusual child. My first name is Ifeanyi, and that means 'nothing is impossible with God'. That sets the tone for my journey while I'm alive."[3] He concentrated on academics, graduating from high school while still 14, and aspiring to become a physician. To further his career goals, Ezeli's parents sent him to live with his uncle, a pediatrician, in Yuba City, California in 2004.[4]

Shortly after Ezeli arrived in Yuba City, his uncle encouraged him to take up what seemed to be the most appropriate sport for a 6'8" (2.03 m) teenager—basketball. This proved much more difficult for him than academics because Ezeli had never played any organized sports.[4] despite the fact that he played soccer as a child.[5] Ezeli took a year of classes at Jesuit High School in Sacramento but did not play basketball; different sources report that he was either ineligible to play because he had graduated from high school in Nigeria[3] or cut during tryouts.[4] The start of Ezeli's organized basketball career, with a low-level AAU team, was especially inauspicious since his first points were scored in his own team's basket. Recalling that incident, Ezeli said, "Everybody was running up the court, and I was just running with them. It's kind of surreal. Sometimes I think about it now and I'm like, Damn. How did I get here?"[4]

Also in the Katz interview, Ezeli remarked on his struggles to learn the game:

"I didn't know what I was doing. Imagine someone who is 14 or 15 years old, and you're teaching them as if they're a 6-year-old. It was tough. Everyone was getting frustrated with me. I was getting frustrated with it. I tried playing in 2005. I stopped. I tried again in 2006. And when I had my first dunk in a summer league game in Las Vegas in 2006, that's when I was so excited. It was so exhilarating that I started to like it."[3]

At age 16, Ezeli joined a second AAU team and also enrolled part-time at Yuba Community College. By not attending full-time, he retained a full four years of college eligibility and was still able to practice with the team; he also served as the team's videographer.[4] Although still learning the most basic of basketball skills, Ezeli made his high-level competitive debut on the AAU circuit in the summer of 2007.[6] By then, Ezeli had reached 6'11" (2.11 m),[5] and averaged 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game,[6] earning an invitation to the Reebok All-American Camp in July 2007.[4]

Ezeli's appearance at the camp marked a major turning point in his life. According to Sports Illustrated writer Pablo S. Torre,

"Recruiters. . .awaited his arrival as if he were Bigfoot. They left with their heads spinning at Ezeli's size and raw potential, even if it was clear that he lacked confidence. Offers from 27 Division I schools he knew almost nothing about rolled in."[4]

With the help of his AAU coaches, Ezeli narrowed his list to Boston College, Connecticut, Harvard, and Vanderbilt.[4] The Vanderbilt coaching staff sold him on the school, citing its academic reputation and the program's recent experience with international players.[5] Head coach Kevin Stallings added that Ezeli would be able to redshirt his first year at the school to allow him more time to develop, since the program had a highly touted Australian prospect, A. J. Ogilvy, arriving at the same time and playing Ezeli's position.[5]

Ezeli at practice for the Warriors in 2012

Ezeli was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 30th overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft. On July 6, he signed his rookie scale contract with the Warriors.[11] As a rookie in 2012–13, Ezeli started many games for the Warriors in place of injured center Andrew Bogut. On January 19, 2013, Ezeli had a season-best game with 13 points and 8 rebounds in 116–112 win over the New Orleans Hornets.[12]

In June 2013, Ezeli was ruled out for six to nine months after undergoing surgery on his right knee.[13] Ezeli subsequently missed the entire 2013–14 season.

Ezeli returned to action for the Warriors in the team's 2014–15 season opener. On December 22, 2014, he scored a then-career-high 15 points in a 128–108 win over the Sacramento Kings.[14] The following day, Ezeli sprained his left ankle in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers and was confined to a moon boot.[15] The injury kept him out all of January, when on January 28, Ezeli was assigned to the Santa Cruz Warriors of the NBA Development League for rehabilitation.[16] On February 2, he was recalled by Golden State after successfully competing in two D-League games.[17] The following day, he made his return for Golden State, playing eight minutes of action in a win over the Sacramento Kings. In the 2015 NBA playoffs, Ezeli logged key minutes as the first big man off Golden State's bench, often filling in for the foul-prone Andrew Bogut. The Warriors, with the help of Ezeli, advanced deep into the postseason to win the Western Conference Finals against James Harden and the Houston Rockets in a 4–1 series. Ezeli won his first NBA championship after the Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA Finals in six games.[18]

On August 1, 2015, Ezeli played for Team Africa at the 2015 NBA Africa exhibition game.[19]

On November 6, 2015, Ezeli scored a career-high 16 points as a starter in a 119–104 win over the Denver Nuggets.[20] The Warriors' NBA-record start ended after 24 wins when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 108–95 on December 12.[21] On February 8, 2016, Ezeli underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to clean out debris from his left knee and was subsequently ruled out for six weeks.[22] Ezeli returned to action on April 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers after missing 31 games.[23] Ezeli helped the Warriors win an NBA record 73 games to eclipse the 72 wins set by the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls. The Warriors made it to the 2016 NBA Finals after overcoming a 3–1 deficit against the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning the Western Conference Finals in seven games.

On July 7, 2016, Ezeli signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.[24] On August 23, 2016, he was ruled out for six weeks after undergoing a left knee injection.[25] Two months later, he suffered a minor setback in his comeback from the procedure, with swelling in his left knee.[26] In mid-December, it became apparent to the Trail Blazers that conservative treatment of Ezeli's aching left knee wasn't working, and that season-ending surgery was imminent.[27] On March 8, 2017, Ezeli underwent surgery on his left knee and was ruled out for the entire 2016–17 season.[28] On June 30, 2017, Ezeli was waived by the Trail Blazers before appearing in a game for them.[29][30]

On March 2, 2021, Ezeli signed a contract with the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League, returning to professional basketball after a four-year hiatus dealing with multiple injuries and difficult recoveries. He was immediately assigned the number 20 jersey.[31] He appeared in two games.[32]

On April 17, 2021, Ezeli signed with Rivers Hoopers to play in the inaugural season of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).[32] However, before playing a single game with the Hoopers, Ezeli got injured and was replaced by Robinson Opong.[33]