Muoka becomes Hong Kong's first basketball player to sign with NBA

Marcus Lum

Basketball player David Kenechukwu Muoka has made history as the first player born and raised in Hong Kong to sign with the National Basketball Association, joining the Portland Trail Blazers.

Muoka's manager, Executive Sports Management, announced the signing on Instagram, saying the 23-year-old center is embarking on what they describe as "only the beginning of a successful career."

Muoka shared the post on his own Instagram account, expressing his pride with the caption "For the city," accompanied by the Hong Kong flag and red heart emojis.

According to sources, Muoka has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Trail Blazers, but he is expected to be waived before the team's training camp.

It is likely he will be assigned to the G League team, Rip City Remix, for the upcoming season.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, David Kenechukwu Muoka has a mixed Nigerian-British heritage.

He began his basketball journey at West Island School before continuing his education and athletic career in Canada and the United States.

While playing for Lamar University in the National Collegiate Athletics Association, he earned recognition as the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.

In the 2023 NBA G League Draft, Muoka was selected third overall by the Capital City Go-Go and played as a center for the Long Island Nets in the previous G League season.

Although he declared for the NBA Draft in June, he went undrafted.

Muoka is currently in the process of acquiring an SAR passport, aiming to represent Hong Kong in the upcoming Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers in November and expressing interest in participating in the Asian Cup qualifiers in February next year.

marcus.lum@singtaonewscorp.com