Despite battling adversity throughout his career, Udoka Azubuike will be one of the greats when it comes to Kansas basketball.
Udoka Azubuike was the most dominant player in the Big 12 and one of the most dominant in the country too. He led Kansas basketball to some of their biggest wins of the season, and it seemed like teams couldn’t stop him.
In recognition for his season, Azubuike was named Big 12 Player of the Year in addition to first-team All-Big 12, second-team All-American, and NABC Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 13.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, while also leading the nation in field goal percentage at 74.8 percent.
Simply put: Udoka Azubuike was a game-changer on both ends of the floor. Here are some of his best games from the 2019-20 season in chronological order:
1. Kansas vs. Dayton (11/27/19)
Udoka Azubuike put up some impressive numbers against Dayton in the Maui Invitational championship. He totaled 29 points and four blocks to help lead the Jayhawks to a 90-84 win. Maybe even more impressive is the fact that Azubuike knocked down some clutch free throws both in regulation and in the overtime, going 5-for-8 from the line that day.
2. Kansas vs. West Virginia (1/4/20)
In the Jayhawks’ first conference test of the season, they struggled to get going as the Mountaineers took the lead heading into halftime. Azubuike wouldn’t let his team fall through, as he put up 17 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocks helping Kansas pick up the 60-54 win despite the slow start.
3. Kansas vs. Baylor (2/22/20)
The Kansas-Baylor clash had a lot riding on it, and the biggest reason the Jayhawks were able to come away with the victory was because Azubuike took his game to another level. The big man was dunking all over Baylor, and he finished with 23 points, 19 rebounds, and 3 blocks as the Jayhawks claimed the 64-61 win.
4. Kansas vs. TCU (3/7/20)
Udoka Azubuike went out with a bang in his final game at Allen Fieldhouse. He led the Kansas Jayhawks to a 75-66 win by dropping 31 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks on the Horned Frogs. Kansas claimed at least a share of the Big 12 title that night, and it was an appropriate way for Azubuike to finish out his playing days in Allen Fieldhouse.
Udoka Azubuike is one of the best big men in Kansas basketball history, and his jersey will undoubtedly hang in the rafters one day. It’s really too bad that this team didn’t get a chance to prove themselves in the NCAA Tournament, because Azubuike surely would have dominated.