Utah Jazz Select Kansas Center Udoka Azubuike With 27th Pick In 2020 NBA Draft

Nov 18, 2020, 8:40 PM | Updated: 9:35 pm

Udoka Azubuike #35 of the Kansas Jayhawks is fouled by Francisco Farabello #3 of the TCU Horned Frogs during the game at Allen Fieldhouse on March 04, 2020 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

BY BEN ANDERSON AND KYLE IRELAND, KSL SPORTS

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz selected Udoka Azubuike with the 27th pick in the first round of Wednesday’s NBA Draft.

Azubuike joins the Jazz after a college career with the Kansas Jayhawks.

The Jazz acquired the 27th pick, along with the 38th pick in the draft on Wednesday morning in a trade with the New York Knicks. Originally slotted to make the 23rd pick in the first round, the Jazz traded that pick and the rights to former 2008 second-round pick Ante Tomic to drop back in the first round, while adding a second-round selection.

Azubuike is 7-foot, 270 lbs.

ESPN rated Azubuike as the fifth-best center and the No. 33 overall player in the draft.

BREAKING: With the 27th pick in the #NBADraft, the @utahjazz select Udoka Azubuike from Kansas.

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 19, 2020

Azubuike completed his senior season with the Jayhawks in the 2019-20 season.

During his last season with Kansas, the center averaged 13.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 2.6 blocks in 27.7 minutes per contest.

Hey fam, you got a good one 🤝 https://t.co/dQkimH7S1X

— Kansas Basketball (@KUHoops) November 19, 2020

Azubuike was honored as the Big 12 Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year this past season.

Additional Move

Along with drafting the Jayhawks center, the Jazz reportedly traded center Tony Bradley and the No. 38 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to the Detroit Pistons for “future considerations.”

The Utah Jazz have agreed to trade C Tony Bradley and the 38th pick to the Detroit Pistons for future considerations, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 19, 2020

The NBA regular season is set to open on December 22, with individual workouts and training camp opening in early December.

Due to the pandemic shortened offseason, there will be no offseason tournament like the Las Vegas Summer League for rookies and NBA hopefuls to prepare for the season.

The 2020 NBA Draft is broadcast on ESPN.

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