NBA draft excites Okafor

The All-America centre announced he will skip his final year of college eligibility and to be part of June's NBA draft.

Okafor was named as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2004 NCAA Tourney as the Star Centre Collects 24 Points, 14 Rebounds to Spark UConn to the title.

The humble Nigerian stressed the effect of being picked as the overall best.

"I don't think it's hit me yet," Okafor said. "When's practice tomorrow?"

"When I was first walking on campus and wondering what I was doing in Connecticut, I didn't know that the best three years of my life were going to happen," Okafor recalled.

"When I look back and just see how things turn out, you see a smile right here. That says it all."

History maker
The 6-foot-10 junior is one of four players in school history with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, and he blocked a UConn-record 441 shots.

He finished his college career with 24 point and 15 rebounds in the national title game against Georgia Tech, earning the Most Outstanding Player award at the Final Four.

Okafor won national player of the year awards from the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Sports Illustrated.

Also an academic All-America, Okafor will graduate with honours in May, a year ahead of schedule.

Loved by all
His coach Jim Calhoun quipped that the finance major doesn't have to leave quite so soon.

"I still maintain there's a tremendous master's degree program here for the Emeka Okafors of the world," Calhoun said.

Okafor is the second UConn underclassman to declare for the NBA draft this week, joining junior guard Ben Gordon.

Calhoun first caught sight of Okafor as a raw high school talent in Houston, Texas.
The tall youngster still needed to work on his offense but was quick on his feet.
Calhoun first learned of Okafor through former NBA player and Coach John Lucas, whose son played at Okafor's high school.

"He called and said, "we’ve got a great big kid here,'" Calhoun recalled. Now that "big kid" will take his skills to the pros.

"I plan to do that the same way I did it here," Okafor said. "Just go into the gym every day, work hard and let things work themselves out. It's a blessing for me to be in my position. I'm there. I'm happy. I'm going to work hard."

Family man
Okafor’s father, Pius diligently followed his son’s meteoric to fame during the Tourney with support from other family members.

And somehow, up in the stands, Pius Okafor managed to stay relaxed. With fans around him standing and shouting, he stayed in his seat and politely applauded his son's jam while 10 other family members looked on.

"I'm very calm," Okafor's father said in the closing minutes. "I'm so proud of him and so excited that he's playing at this level."

“Oh, wait a minute. Dad also said: "He's played better than this."

Pundits are already tipping the soft-spoken Okafor for NBA success and the player is waiting on his dreams coming true.

“Everything is happening fast but I’ll rather watch it happen now than never” he added.