James Nnaji

James Nnaji

No. 23 – Bàsquet Girona
Position	Center
League	Liga ACB
Personal information
Born	(2004-08-14) 14 August 2004 (age 20) Makurdi, Nigeria
Listed height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight	250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
NBA draft	2023: 2nd round, 31st overall pick
Selected by the Detroit Pistons
Playing career	2019–present
Career history
2019–2020	Rátgéber Akadémia
2020–present	FC Barcelona
2020–2021	→FC Barcelona B
2024–present	→Girona
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

James Nnaji (/ˈnɑːdʒi/ NAH-jee; born 14 August 2004) is a Nigerian professional basketball player for Bàsquet Girona of the Spanish Liga ACB on loan from FC Barcelona. He was selected 31st overall in the 2023 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons, but his rights were traded to the Charlotte Hornets and later the New York Knicks.

Early life and youth career

Nnaji grew up in Makurdi, Nigeria where he started playing basketball. He is from the middle belt (central) region of Nigeria. In 2018, Nnaji moved to Ratgeber Basketball Academy in Hungary.[1]

Professional career

Nnaji started his career with Rátgéber Akadémia, a team in the Hungarian league. He moved from Hungary to Barcelona in 2020, joining FC Barcelona B in 2020. From there, he would move up to the A team of FC Barcelona in 2021, making thirteen appearances in the 2021–22 season.[1]

On 4 August 2024, Nnaji was loaned to Girona of the Spanish Liga ACB.[2]

NBA rights

Nnaji declared for the 2023 NBA draft, where he was ranked as the 24th-best prospect in the ESPN Top 100.[3] On June 22, 2023, Nnaji was selected 31st overall in the 2023 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons, which then traded him to the Charlotte Hornets.[4] In 2024, his rights were traded to the New York Knicks along with Karl-Anthony Towns as a part of a 3-team trade.[5]

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	PIR	Performance Index Rating
Bold	Career high

EuroLeague

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG	PIR
2021–22	Barcelona	13	2	5.8	.750	—	.000	1.7	.2	—	.4	1.8	2.5
2022–23		19	0	6.4	.762	—	.462	1.3	.4	—	.5	2.0	2.7
2023–24		19	0	5.6	.720	—	.419	1.4	.2	.2	.3	2.6	3.0
Career		51	2	6.0	.742	—	.396	1.5	.2	.1	.4	2.2	2.8

Domestic leagues

Year	Team	League	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2020–21	Barcelona B	LEB Plata	12	9.3	.696	—	.214	2.7	.4	.1	1.1	2.9
2021–22	Barcelona	ACB	12	6.8	.786	—	.444	1.4	.2	.1	.7	2.2
2022–23	Barcelona	ACB	35	10.5	.697	—	.538	2.6	.2	.2	.6	4.3
2023–24	Barcelona	ACB	26	8.3	.649	—	.647	2.2	.1	.1	.5	2.3

References

1. "Barcelona locks up teenage center Nnaji". euroleaguebasketball.net. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
2. Bàsquet Girona [@BasquetGirona] (4 August 2024). "✅ Benvingut a Fontajau, James!👋 🤝 James Nnaji arriba a Fontajau en qualitat de cedit pel @FCBbasket #NnajiGironí" (Tweet) (in Catalan). Retrieved 4 August 2024 – via Twitter.
3. Givony, Jonathan (20 April 2023). "EuroLeague prospect James Nnaji, 18, submits paperwork to enter NBA draft". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
4. Yeager, Jon (22 June 2023). "BREAKING: Hornets Draft James Nnaji". SI.com. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
5. "New York Knicks Acquire Karl-Anthony Towns". NBA.com. October 2, 2024. Retrieved October 4, 2024.