ATHENS, Ga. — David Ugonna Ike, a premier post prospect from Nigeria and the NBA Academy Africa, has signed papers to continue his basketball career with the Georgia Bulldogs, head coach Mike White announced on Thursday. Ike will join the Bulldogs as a freshman for the 2026-27 season.
Ugonna Ike (pronounced ew-go-nuh ee-kay) is a 7-0, 235-pound big from the NBA Academy Africa, an elite basketball training center in Saly, Senegal for the top male and female prospects from throughout Africa that opened in November 2018. NBA Academy Africa alums have been selected in each of the past two NBA Drafts – Duke’s Khaman Maluach from South Sudan in the first round in 2025 and Ulrich Chomche from Cameroon in the second round in 2024.
A native of Owerri, Nigeria, Ike most recently played for NBA Academy Africa at the Advance Global Cup in Malaga, Spain in January. He led NBAAA to a 3-0 record while averaging a double-double of 24.3 points and 12.3 rebounds and shooting 61.4 percent from the field and 79.2 percent from the free throw line. The tournament featured 10 teams from five continents and eight countries, including North American representatives from Veritas Academy in Los Angeles; Bella Vista Prep in Phoenix; IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.; and Orangeville Institute in Ontario.
Ike opened the tourney with 20 points and eight rebounds in an 89-87 win over event host Unicaja de Malaga. He then scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in a 93-85 victory over Dubai Basketball to wrap up the qualifying stage. NBA Academy Africa defeated Vertias Academy, 83-67, in its final game with Ike scoring 27 points and collecting 14 rebounds in that matchup.
Ike broke onto the international scene in 2024. He was named as the Defensive MVP and an All-Star at the Basketball Without Borders Africa Camp in August and then played for the Nigerian National Team at the FIBA U18 Afrobasket Championship in September. Ike averaged 4.3 points and 6.0 rebounds over six games in the Afrobasket tourney, including highs of 13 points against Rwanda, 11 rebounds versus Egypt and five blocks against Uganda.
Ike then participated in Basketball Without Borders’ Global Camp in 2025. In addition, Ike played for the Rivers Hoopers in the Basketball Africa League for two seasons, helping the team to a third-place playoff finishes in both 2024 and 2025.