The Utah Jazz have exercised their third-year team option on center Udoka Azubuike for the 2022-23 season. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
Azubuike (7-0, 260, Kansas) was originally drafted by the Jazz in the first round (27th overall) of the 2020 NBA Draft. The 22-year-old saw action in 15 games last season, owning averages of 1.1 points and 0.9 rebounds in 3.8 minutes per game.
During the 2021 Salt Lake City Summer League, Azubuike played in three games, averaging 13.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, earning a 2021 Salt Lake City Summer League Standout selection. He also posted averages of 13.8 points, 8.8 boards and 2.5 blocks in four contests at the 2021 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
The Lagos, Nigeria native was a four-year collegiate player at Kansas where he garnered 2019-20 Consensus All-America Second Team honors, All-Big 12 First Team accolades and was named Big 12 Player of the Year. He left Kansas as the school’s all-time leader in field goal percentage (.746) and eighth in all-time blocks (172).