Nightmare over? Baylor’s Ekpe Udoh enters name into NBA draft, not hiring agent

Baylor’s Udoh entering name into NBA draft

WACO, Texas — Ekpe Udoh has entered his name into the NBA draft, but still could return for his senior season at Baylor.

Udoh hasn’t hired an agent and could still play for the Bears if he withdraws his name from the draft by May 8.

Udoh averaged 13.9 points and 9.8 rebounds a game this season, his first at Baylor. The 6-foot-10 power forward, whose self-proclaimed nickname is “Nightmare,” set a Big 12 record with 133 blocked shots while helping the Bears reach an NCAA regional final.

Most projections have Udoh being a first-round pick, possibly a lottery pick, in the June 24 draft.

The season ended for Baylor (28-8) with a 78-71 loss to eventual national champion Duke in the South Regional final. Udoh had 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and five blocks in that game.

Udoh, who turns 23 next month, played two seasons at Michigan before transferring to Baylor.

In 67 games at Michigan, Udoh averaged 5.5 points and 3.4 rebounds while scoring at least 10 points only nine times. He left a year after coach Tommy Amaker departed and then had to sit out the 2008-09 season, when the Wolverines made it to the NCAA tournament and Baylor advanced to the NIT final at Madison Square Garden.

Udoh, whose name is pronounced EHP’-ay YOO’-doh, had 16 double-doubles for Baylor. He scored in double figures 26 games.

His nickname came from a practice at Baylor while he was redshirting, when one of his teammates said something about his dominating presence and Udoh responded “I’m a nightmare.” The nickname stuck.

Udoh, the son of Nigerian immigrants who grew up in Edmond, Okla., wore No. 13 for the Bears — his middle name is Friday.

He quickly became a fan favorite at Baylor, where students started wearing horror film-inspired hockey masks during home games.