Kenny Adeleke

Kenny Adeleke
Born	Andrew Kehinde Adeleke (1983-02-10) February 10, 1983 Lagos, Nigeria
Occupation	Professional basketball player
Years active	2006–2018 (professional career span based on text)

Andrew Kehinde "Kenny" Adeleke (born February 10, 1983) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball athlete whose career spans 12 seasons across the NBA, European, Asian, and Latin American leagues. He notably topped the rebounding charts in the Israeli Basketball Premier League during the 2006–07 campaign.

High school career

Originating from Lagos, Nigeria, Adeleke was raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he participated in basketball and tennis at Paul Robeson High School. As a junior, he posted averages of 19 points and 12 rebounds per game, delivering standout performances against Benjamin Cardozo and Abraham Lincoln. In the PSAL quarterfinals, he tallied 25 points and 13 rebounds in an overtime defeat. ESPN.com ranked him as the nation’s seventh-best small forward during his senior year. At the Adidas ABCD Camp, he recorded 14 points and 14 rebounds while competing alongside elite prospects such as Eddy Curry and Kwame Brown. He secured MVP honors at the Five Star All Star camp with a 22-point, 12-rebound effort against talents including Carmelo Anthony. His senior season averages were 19 points and 13 rebounds, earning PSAL player of the year recognition and guiding his squad to a #18 national ranking by USA Today. In the New York vs. Chicago Windy City stars matchup, he set a new standard by scoring 26 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.

College career

Adeleke initially pledged to DePaul University but later opted to attend Hofstra to remain closer to home. During his freshman year at Hofstra, he earned CAA Rookie of the Year honors, highlighted by a 20-point, 9-rebound game against Syracuse and a standout performance with 23 points and 10 rebounds in an upset over George Mason during the conference tournament. His sophomore campaign featured averages of 16.1 points and 11 rebounds per game, resulting in second team all-CAA recognition; notable contests included those against Gonzaga and Manhattan. As a junior, he was named first team all-CAA following key performances such as a double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds) versus St. John's and a dominant showing (27 points, 15 rebounds) against VCU. For his final collegiate season, Adeleke transferred to Hartford where he averaged an impressive 20.7 points and 13 rebounds—ranking second nationally behind Paul Millsap—and garnered first team American East accolades along with a record eight player of the week awards. Highlights included games against Virginia (21 points, 15 rebounds) and UMass (20 points, 10 rebounds). The American East conference boasts notable NBA alumni such as Vin Baker, Malik Rose, Craig Speedy Claxton, and JJ Barea.

Professional career

Undrafted in the 2006 NBA draft, Adeleke participated with the New York Knicks Summer League squad in Las Vegas that year.

He appeared in two preseason games for the Seattle SuperSonics during the 2006 NBA pre-season, scoring two points from free throws in limited action before being waived.

Subsequently, he competed in Israel for Hapoel Galil Elyon alongside NBA veteran Omri Casspi, averaging a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds while leading the league in rebounding during the 2006–07 season. Key outings included a 28-point, 9-rebound game and significant playoff contributions against top-tier teams like Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Adeleke returned to Seattle’s Summer League roster in 2007 before continuing his professional journey in Italy with NSB Napoli and Turkey representing Hacettepe Üniversitesi.

On January 11, 2013, he was signed by the Springfield Armor. Later, on January 27, 2015, he joined Venezuelan side Trotamundos de Carabobo, followed by a May contract with Puerto Rico’s Atenienses de Manatí competing in Baloncesto Superior Nacional.

In October of that year, Adeleke became part of Uruguay’s Club Atlético Goes roster.

During the 2016–17 season, he played for Final Gençlik in Turkey’s Basketball First League, leading the league with an average of 14 rebounds per game alongside scoring an average of 14 points. In March 2017, he signed with Lebanese club Hekmeh BC, delivering standout performances including a notable game with 20 points and 17 rebounds versus reigning champions Al Riyadi Club Beirut.

In 2017, Adeleke featured in eleven contests for Mexico’s Fuerza Regia within the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (LNBP). By January 2018, he had inked a deal with CD Español de Talca competing in Chile’s Liga Nacional de Básquetbol de Chile.

Personal life

The name "Adeleke" translates to "the crown brings joy" in the Yoruba tongue.

External links

• Profile on Eurobasket.com
• RealGM profile