Better Hometown Hero - Uzoh or Udoh?

Originally Published: Jun 23, 2010 7:14 PM CDT

Bobby Lewis
Oklahoma Sports Mobile Journalist

TULSA, Oklahoma – In college, one was a Golden Bear, the other was a Golden Hurricane. They both had golden careers and have dreams of cashing-in? in the NBA.

The question is – Who would make a better hometown fit? Tulsa’s Ben Uzoh to the San Antonio Spurs or Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh to the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Both players have a shot of landing in a familiar city and both would probably fit in well in their respective hometowns. The Thunder needs a guy that can both knock down mid-range jump shots and spell Jeff Green and Serge Ibaka in the paint from time-to-time. At 6-foot-10, Edmond’s Udoh has enough variety in his game to fill both roles.

The Spurs have an aging core of players, including once all-world point guard Tony Parker. Spending a year or two behind the wily Frenchman, learning how to be a pro, could do Uzoh, a former San Antonio prep baller, a lot of good down the line.

Udoh, an Edmond Santa Fe grad, shined as a junior with the Golden Bears. He helped lead his team to the Elite Eight, averaging 13.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The most impressive part of his game is a variable the Thunder feeds off of – blocked shots. Udoh swatted 133 shots in 36 games a year ago, tops in the Big 12 and good enough to rank him fifth in the nation.

Uzoh was a jack-of-all-trades for Doug Wojcik’s Tulsa squad. The senior scored, rebounded, assisted and, most nights, carried his team to the finish line in conference play. Uzoh notched the best statistical year of his career as a senior averaging 15.3 points and nearly five boards per game. The most impressive part of his game was his 2.04 assist to turnover ratio, by far the best of his career.

Both cities need a jolt after missing out in the playoffs a year ago. The Thunder seems to be getting closer and closer to making a deep run in the Western Conference playoffs, having pushed the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers to six games. Udoh could be a missing piece for Scott Brooks’ club.

Uzoh might add a nice wrinkle to the Spurs’ lineup in 2010-11. Manu Ginobili is seemingly always battered, Parker and Tim Duncan are aging and the San Antonio role players didn’t elevate their intensity levels in the playoffs last season. Could Uzoh be the spark?

The NBA Draft begins at 6 p.m. Thursday night.

Could it be a homecoming for two golden players?