Melvin Ejim

Melvin Obinna Ejim (pronounced EDGE-um; born March 4, 1991) is a Nigerian-Canadian[1] professional basketball player for Budućnost of the Montenegrin Basketball League. He played college basketball for Iowa State University before playing professionally in Italy, Russia and Spain, as well as the NBA Development League.

Melvin Ejim
Ejim playing for Reyer Venezia in 2017
No. 3 – Budućnost VOLI
PositionSmall forward / Power forward
LeagueMontenegrin League
Adriatic League
EuroCup
Personal information
Born (1991-03-04) March 4, 1991
Toronto, Ontario
NationalityCanadian / Nigerian
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeIowa State (2010–2014)
NBA draft2014 / Undrafted
Playing career2014–present
Career history
2014–2015Virtus Roma
2015–2016Erie BayHawks
2016–2017Reyer Venezia
2017–2019UNICS
2019–2020Unicaja
2020–presentBudućnost
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men’s Basketball
Representing  Canada
FIBA AmeriCup
2015 Mexico City
Pan American Games
2015 Toronto

High school career

Ejim attended St. Mary's Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Maryland, where he made the 2007 Provincial team before transferring to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. In 2008–09, he averaged 12.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for Brewster. In his final year in 2009–10, he averaged 13.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.5 assists per game, leading Brewster to a 34–4 record and a National Prep School championship.[2]

College career

Ejim started 30 games out of 32 in his freshman campaign for Iowa State, averaging 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, shooting 48.6 percent from the field (121-249 FG) and tallied 39 steals, second-best total on the team. He became one of just 13 Iowa State freshmen in school history to average double figures in scoring, and his 214 rebounds was the third-best rookie total in school history.[2]

Ejim (with the ball) in January 2011

One of Iowa State's top post players, Ejim started 29 games out of 34 in 2011–12, averaging 9.3 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He earned Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades and was a first team Academic All-Big 12 selection.[2]

One of the best forwards in the Big 12 in 2012–13, Ejim earned All-Big 12 third team honors and was a NABC All-District 8 second team selection; he was also honored as the inaugural Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year Award winner and was a Capital One Academic All-District 6 selection. He became the first Cyclone to lead the Big 12 in rebounding (9.3 rpg) since Jackson Vroman (2004) and was just the third player in Big 12 history to lead the league in rebounding at 6'6" or shorter (Terry Black, Baylor; P. J. Tucker, Texas).[2]

As a senior in 2013–14, Ejim had one of the best seasons in school history, earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors (coaches & AP) and All-America honors from five organizations. He was a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, became the fifth Academic All-American in school history, earned Capital One first team Academic All-America honors and was named the Big 12 Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second time. He became just the fourth player in league history to record 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career, finishing his career with the most wins of any Cyclone men's basketball player at 88 wins. He also finished 12th in scoring (1,643), second in rebounding (1,051), tied for 10th in steals (146) and 15th in blocks (59); he also broke the school record for games played (135) and games started (126).[2][3]

On February 8, 2014, Ejim scored a Big 12-record 48 points against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Hilton Coliseum, surpassing Michael Beasley and Denis Clemente who had 44 points in 2008 and 2009 respectively.[4]

College statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2010–11 Iowa State 323027.8.486.232.6956.71.21.2.210.3
2011–12 Iowa State 342923.7.489.220.7626.61.01.0.39.3
2012–13 Iowa State 353427.6.504.348.6979.31.51.0.511.3
2013–14 Iowa State 343332.1.505.346.7618.41.81.2.717.8

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Ejim played for the San Antonio Spurs during the Las Vegas Summer League.[5][6] He then moved to Italy for the 2014–15 season, signing with Virtus Roma.[7][8] In 29 league games for Virtus, he averaged 7.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.[9] He also averaged 8.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 18 EuroCup games.[10]

After initially signing with German team Medi Bayreuth for the 2015–16 season,[11] an impressive stint with the Orlando Magic during the 2015 NBA Summer League led to a training camp contract.[12][13][14] He was waived by the Magic on October 21 after appearing in four preseason games,[15] and subsequently joined the Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League.[16] He was waived by Erie on March 16, 2016.[17] In 39 games, he averaged 14.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Days later, he signed with Italian team Reyer Venezia Mestre for the rest of the season.[18] In 16 games for Reyer Venezia, he averaged 9.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game.

On June 17, 2016, Ejim re-signed with Reyer Venezia Mestre for the 2016–17 season.[19] In June 2017, he helped Reyer Venezia win the Italian League championship while earning the Finals MVP.[20] In 46 league games, he averaged 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He also averaged 10.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 steals in 22 BCL games.

On July 12, 2017, Ejim signed with Russian club UNICS for the 2017–18 season.[21] In 30 league games, he averaged 9.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He also averaged 9.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 19 EuroCup games.

In June 2018, Ejim re-signed with UNICS for the 2018–19 season.[22] In 23 league games, he averaged 8.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He also averaged 7.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 14 EuroCup games.

On July 25, 2019, Ejim signed a 1+1 deal with Spanish club Unicaja.[23] In 17 league games during the 2019–20 season, he averaged 5.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He also averaged 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 10 EuroCup games.

On June 27, 2020, Ejim signed with Montenegrin club KK Budućnost.[24]

National team career

In June 2012, Ejim played for the Nigerian national team on their tour of China.[25] In July 2013, he played for the Canadian national team at the World University Games, where he averaged eight points and four rebounds per game.[2] In July 2015, he was named on the Canadian national team roster for the Pan American Games.[26] He also played at the Tuto Marchand Cup and FIBA Americas Championship in 2015. In 2016, he represented Canada at the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[27]

Personal

Ejim is the son of Nigerian native, Elizabeth Omoghan. He is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi academic honors society.[2]

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References
  1. Halsted, Alex (June 7, 2012). "Home court advantage: Ejim seeks Olympic opportunity in Nigeria". IowaStateDaily.com. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  2. "#3 Melvin Ejim". Cyclones.com. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  3. "Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Basketball Teams Announced". cosida.com. February 20, 2014. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
  4. "Melvin Ejim scores Big 12-record 48 as Iowa State trounces TCU". ESPN.com. February 8, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
  5. Pompey, Keith (July 8, 2014). "St. Joe's Roberts has a blast filling in for Noel". Philly.com. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  6. "Spurs Announce Summer League Roster". NBA.com. July 8, 2014. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  7. "Virtus Rome lands Ejim". Eurocupbasketball.com. July 24, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  8. "La Virtus ingaggia Melvin Ejim". VirtusRoma.it (in Italian). July 24, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  9. "Melvin Ejim Europe Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  10. "EJIM, MELVIN". Eurocupbasketball.com. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  11. "Melvin Ejim moves to Medi Bayreuth". Sportando.com. June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  12. "Orlando Magic Announce Rosters for Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League". NBA.com. June 30, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  13. Spaeth, Eberhard (August 4, 2015). "Bestätigung: Medi-Neuzugang Melvin Ejim wechselt in die NBA". Nordbayerischer-Kurier.de (in German). Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  14. "Magic Sign Melvin Ejim". NBA.com. August 4, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  15. "Magic Waive Melvin Ejim". NBA.com. October 21, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  16. "Erie BayHawks Announce Affiliate, Returning Players". OurSportsCentral.com. October 31, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  17. "2015-2016 Erie BayHawks Transactions History". RealGM.com. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  18. "Reyer Venezia signs Melvin Ejim". Sportando.com. March 22, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  19. "Reyer Venezia officially re-signs Melvin Ejim". Sportando.com. June 17, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  20. "Melvin Ejim moves to Unics from Venezia". eurohoops.net. July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  21. "Unics lands forward Ejim". Eurocupbasketball.com. July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  22. "Melvin Ejim re-signed with Unics Kazan". eurohoops.net. June 16, 2018. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  23. "Unicaja Malaga signs Melvin Ejim". sportando.basketball. July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  24. "Melvin Ejim signs with Buducnost". Sportando. June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  25. "Melvin Ejim Nigerian National Team Update". Cyclones.com. June 19, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  26. "CANADIAN MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR TORONTO 2015 PAN AM GAMES". Basketball.ca. July 18, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  27. "Melvin Ejim's profile". FIBA.com. Retrieved February 26, 2018.
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