Ariel Hukporti

Ariel Washington Hukporti (born 12 April 2002) is a German-Togolese professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL).

Ariel Hukporti
Hukporti in April 2018
No. 15 – Melbourne United
PositionCenter
LeagueNBL
Personal information
Born (2002-04-12) 12 April 2002
Stralsund, Germany
NationalityGerman / Togolese
Listed height213 cm (7 ft 0 in)
Listed weight113 kg (249 lb)
Career information
Playing career2018–present
Career history
2018–2020Riesen Ludwigsburg
2020–2021Nevėžis Kėdainiai
2021–presentMelbourne United

Early life and youth career

Hukporti was born in Stralsund, Germany to Togolese parents and was raised by a single mother.[1] He grew up playing football as a defender. Hukporti stood 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) at age nine and started playing basketball when he was 11 years old, in part due to his height.[1][2] He began playing in the Jugend Basketball Bundesliga, the German U16 league, with USC Freiburg. After one season, he received offers from renowned clubs, including Bayern Munich and Brose Bamberg. He decided to continue his career with Riesen Ludwigsburg and its junior team, Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg.[2][3]

In December 2018, at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament (ANGT) Valencia, Hukporti averaged 18 points, 15.2 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game for U18 Porsche Ludwigsburg, while leading the event in blocks (1.8 per game) and index rating (26.7). He helped his team to fourth place and was named to the all-tournament team.[4] In 2019, Hukporti was honored as Rookie of the Year and All-Star Game MVP in the Nachwuchs Basketball Bundesliga (NBBL), the German U19 league.[5] He played for U18 Porsche Ludwigsburg at ANGT Munich in February 2020 but did not return to action after suffering a foot injury in his second game.[6] Hukporti was named NBBL MVP for the 2019–20 season after averaging 16.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game for Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg.[7]

Professional career

Riesen Ludwigsburg (2018–2020)

On 12 December 2018, Hukporti made his professional debut for Riesen Ludwigsburg, scoring four points in one minute in an 88–76 loss to Banvit at the Basketball Champions League.[8] On 13 January 2019, he debuted in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) versus medi Bayreuth.[9] At the NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago in February 2020, Hukporti was named MVP of the Basketball Without Borders camp.[10] On 11 June 2020, he scored a career-high 10 points along with three rebounds and two blocks in a 103–74 win over Brose Bamberg in the preliminary round of the 2020 BBL Final Tournament.[11] In the 2019–20 season, Hukporti averaged three points and 2.3 rebounds in 7.9 minutes per game.[12]

Nevėžis Kėdainiai (2020–2021)

On 3 July 2020, Hukporti signed with Nevėžis Kėdainiai of the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL).[13]

Melbourne United (2021–present)

On 28 July 2021, Hukporti signed as a Next Star with Melbourne United of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).[14]

During the 2022 pre-season, Hukporti ruptured his achilles tendon and was ruled out for the entire 2022–23 NBL season.[15]

On 31 March 2023, Hukporti recommitted to United for the 2023–24 NBL season.[16]

National team career

Hukporti represented Germany at the 2017 FIBA U16 European Championship in Podgorica. He averaged 5.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the 13th-place team.[17] In April 2018, he won a gold medal with Germany at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament.[2] Later that year, at the FIBA U16 European Championship in Novi Sad, Hukporti averaged 9.6 points and 5.9 rebounds, leading his team to ninth place.[18] He averaged 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks at the 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship in Volos as his team finished in 11th place.[19]

References
  1. Klumpp, Joachim (11 March 2020). "Ariel Hukporti – das Basketball-Talent hat nur ein Ziel: die NBA". Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. "BIG-Appetizer: Ariel Hukporti" (in German). BIG Basketball. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  3. Hein, David (23 January 2017). "Hukporti still plenty raw, Crailsheim with two possible gems". Heinnews. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  4. Hein, David (31 December 2018). "Camara named ANGT Valencia MVP". Next Generation Tournament. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  5. "Awards der Nachwuchs Basketball Bundesliga" (in German). NBBL. Archived from the original on 19 May 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  6. Schmitz, Mike (12 February 2020). "Victor Wembanyama is one of the best long-term NBA prospects in the world". ESPN. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  7. "NBBL – Saisonawards 2019/20: Porsche BBA Ludwigsburg mit drei Auszeichnungen" (in German). NBBL. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  8. "Dec 12, 2018 - Teksut Bandirma 88 at MHP RIESEN Ludwigsburg 76". RealGM. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  9. "Marcos Knight peitscht die MHP Riesen zum Sieg – Coach Patrick ist stolz". Ludwigsburg 24 (in German). 14 January 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  10. "Hukporti, Kessler named MVPs of BWB Global Camp". FIBA. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  11. "Ludwigsburg routs Bamberg to close Day 3". EuroHoops. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  12. "Ariel Hukporti Player Profile". RealGM. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  13. "Nevezis adds NBA prospects Abramo Canka and Ariel Hukporti". Sportando. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  14. "German NBA Prospect Ariel Hukporti Signs as NBL Next Star with Melbourne United". NBL.com.au. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  15. "Hukporti Sidelined For NBL23". NBL.com.au. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  16. "Ariel Hukporti set to return to the court for NBL24". melbourneutd.com.au. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  17. Gershon, Josh (12 August 2017). "FIBA u16 A: Ariel Hukporti putting name on map with Germany". Scout.com. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  18. "Ariel Hukporti (GER)'s profile - FIBA U16 European Championship 2018". FIBA. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  19. Hein, David (15 January 2020). "ANGT Munich: Players to Watch". Next Generation Tournament. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
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