Michael Olowokandi

Michael Olowokandi is a name that carries a certain weight for NBA fans, and not always for happy reasons. Born in Lagos, raised in London, and a relative latecomer to basketball at the University of the Pacific, he became the number one overall pick of the 1998 draft by the Clippers. At 213cm, the Kandi Man had the size, but the expectations of a top pick are brutal, and his career became shorthand for the gamble of drafting on potential. I respect the unlikely path more than the draft-bust label suggests. Going from London teenager to first overall pick is its own remarkable story.

Michael Olowokandi (born 3 April 1975) is a Nigerian former professional basketball player. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, and raised in London, he played collegiately for the Pacific Tigers in Stockton, California. Nicknamed "the Kandi Man," Olowokandi was selected as the first overall pick of the 1998 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name (English)

Michael Olowokandi

Name (Japanese)

マイケル・オロウォカンディ

Reading

まいける・おろうぉかんでぃ

Born

April 3, 1975 (age 51)

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Aries / Rabbit

Origin

Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria

Blood type

Private

Height

213 cm

Agency

Private

Occupation

basketball player

Elementary school

Private

Junior high

Private

High school

Private

University

University of the Pacific

Spouse

Private

Children

Private

Parents

Private

Siblings

Private

Motto

Private

• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9E%E3%82%A4%E3%82%B1%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AA%E3%83%AD%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A9%E3%82%AB%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3

Tags

• Lagos State
• basketball player

Last updated

2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.