PROFESSIONAL CAREER

Career Transactions

Was not drafted by the NBA out of college in 2019…signed by the HEAT on July 11, 2019.

BEFORE NBA

Played four seasons at the University of South Carolina…appeared in 134 career games (108 starts) and averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.39 blocks and 21.7 minutes while shooting 49.7 percent from the field, 47.5 percent from three-point range and 72.9 percent from the foul line…became the first player in school history to total at least 700 rebounds and 500 free throws made…among the school’s all-time lists, finished third in free throws made, sixth in rebounds, sixth in blocks and 10th in points…posted 27 career double-doubles…started all 32 games as a senior and averaged 15.2 points (.508 FG%, .744 FT%), 7.6 rebounds, 1.94 blocks and 26.8 minutes while shooting 50 percent from three-point range…named by the coaches to the All-SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team…was a NABC All-District Second Team selection…ranked among SEC leaders in blocks per game (4th), rebounds per game (5th), scoring average (8th) and points (9th)…led the team in points, rebounds, blocks, field goals made and free throws made…posted a 32-point, 14-rebound double-double in a win over No. 16 Auburn on Jan. 22…grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds and added 22 points in a win at Texas A&M on Mar. 5…blocked a career-high six shots vs. Coastal Carolina on Nov. 30…started all 33 games as a junior and averaged 14.3 points (.467 FG%, .753 FT%), 8.0 rebounds, 1.36 blocks, 1.2 assists and 25.8 minutes while shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range…selected the SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year…named by the coaches to the All-SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team…ranked second nationally in free throw attempts and sixth in free throws made…led the SEC in both free throws made and attempted and ranked among the league leaders in offensive rebounds per game (3rd) and total rebounds per game (4th)…led the team in points, rebounds, blocks, field goals made and free throws made…started all 37 games as a sophomore and averaged 10.2 points (.524 FG%, .749 FT%), 6.1 rebounds, 1.38 blocks and 21.0 minutes while helping lead South Carolina to the 2017 Final Four…named to the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll…led the team in rebounds and blocks…scored in double-figures in all five of South Carolina’s NCAA Tournament games during their run to the 2017 Final Four…appeared in 32 games (six starts) as a freshman and averaged 5.4 points (.482 FG%, .609 FT%), 4.5 rebounds and 13.3 minutes…named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll…finished third on the team in blocks and fourth in offensive rebounds and free throws made.

PERSONAL LIFE

Full name is Obame Correia Silva Junior Christopher…is the son of Minkoue Obame Carine and Jose Silva…has three brothers (Lucas Correia Silva, Phillip Correia Silva and Mathew Obame)…was raised by his paternal grandparents Avelino Silva and Domingo Gomez before moving to New Jersey at the age of 15…his father was a 6’11” center on the Gabonese National Team…his mother was a track star…graduated from South Carolina with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies while majoring in Integrated Information Technology…speaks English, French and Portuguese…in his free time he likes to play video games and spend time around water after growing up on the beach in Gabon where he enjoyed swimming and surfing …played soccer until he was 12 years old and then out grew playing it, but is still a fan of Barcelona…began playing organized basketball at the age of 14…played on the same team as current HEAT teammate Derrick Jones, Jr. in the 2015 Mary Cline Classic, an all-star event for high school seniors to raise money for cancer research…led his team to the championship at the annual Portsmouth Invitational for NBA draft hopefuls in April 2019…is hoping to become just the second player from Gabon to play in the NBA, joining former HEAT forward Stephane Lasme…was named to the Gabon National Basketball Team preliminary squad for AfroBasket 2015…when his playing career is over he wants to go back to Gabon and take basketball to a higher level there…wears size 16 sneakers.

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