PROFESSIONAL CAREER

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:

Was drafted in the second round (32nd overall) by the Phoenix Suns in the 2019 NBA Draft…draft rights were acquired by the HEAT in a three-team trade involving the Suns and Indiana Pacers on July 6, 2019 where Indiana received three future second-round picks from Miami and T.J. Warren from Phoenix and the Suns received cash considerations from the Pacers…signed by the HEAT on July 7, 2019.

BEFORE NBA

Played two seasons at Stanford University before becoming an early entry candidate for the 2019 NBA Draft…appeared in 52 collegiate games (50 starts) and averaged 13.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.00 steals and 30.8 minutes while shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from three-point range and 67.4 percent from the foul line…as a sophomore, started in all 29 games in which he appeared and averaged 16.8 points (.463 FG%, .671 FT%), 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.00 steals and 32.7 minutes…named First Team All-Pac-12, First Team USBWA All-District and Second Team NABC All-District...received the Hank Luisetti Most Valuable Player Award at the annual team banquet…named the Pac-12 Player of the Week on Nov. 12…ranked among the Pac-12 leaders in scoring (5th), defensive rebounding (12th) and rebounding (16th)…led the team in points, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, games started and minutes…finished second in three-point field goals made, defensive rebounds and steals…ranked third in assists, offensive rebounds and rebounds…led the team in scoring 15 times, rebounds seven times and assists six times…scored in double-figures 23 times…ranked second in the Pac-12 with 15 games of at least 20 points…topped the 20-point barrier in a career-high four consecutive games from Jan. 9-24, 2019…scored a career-high 30 points in a win at California on Feb. 3…grabbed double-figure boards twice and tallied two double-doubles…as a freshman, appeared in 23 games (21 starts) and averaged 10.0 points (.393 FG%, .679 FT%), 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.00 steals and 28.5 minutes…received the Top Defensive Player Award at the team’s awards banquet…scored in double figures 10 times, including four games with at least 20 points…grabbed double-figure rebounds once and registered one double-double…set or matched season highs in points (23), field goals attempted (16), free throws made (10) and attempted (13) and assists (5) against UCLA on Mar. 8.

PERSONAL LIFE

Full name is Chikezie Okpala…prefers to go by “KZ”...nickname is “Kook”…is the son of Martin and Mary Okpala…has two older sisters (Kiki and Chisom) and an older brother (Toby)…his sister, Chisom, was an All-Big West volleyball player at Long Beach State…outside of basketball his passion is pop culture, especially music and fashion…hopes to one day own a record label and manage artists along with his brother…was initially interested in football but was persuaded to try basketball by his brother…lists his parents as the people that made a difference in his life because they overcame a rough upbringing and are successful…his parents moved from Nigeria to the U.S. before he was born…underwent a growth spurt throughout high school that saw him grow from 5’11” as a freshman to 6’8” as a senior…led Esperanza to its first California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Division II championship in 2017 while averaging 30.4 points and 10.6 rebounds during his senior season…scored a school record and career-high 46 points vs. Crossroads High School…holds Esperanza’s single-season record for scoring average…was the 2016-17 Orange County Register Boys Basketball Player of the Year and selected to the All-L.A. Times Boys Basketball Team…wears size 14 sneakers.