Goodbye Ugonna Onyenso and may your memories of 2024 never fade It seems unlikely that READ MORE….
After initially being very sure about his intention to turn pro, Ugonna Onyenso is going to keep his college options open.
According to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68, Onyenso will enter the transfer portal after playing two seasons at the University of Kentucky.
The sophomore forward told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony earlier this month he was declaring for the 2024 NBA draft and was “not thinking about coming back to play college basketball.”
Onyenso’s initial decision to turn pro came on April 15, six days after John Calipari confirmed he was leaving Kentucky to become the head coach at Arkansas.
The 19-year-old Onyenso was part of the Wildcats’ 2022 recruiting class that was ranked as the third-best in the nation, per 247Sports’ composite rankings. He was a 4-star prospect and ninth-ranked center.
After playing sparingly as a freshman, Onyenso took on a more prominent role last season. He averaged 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in 24 appearances (14 starts).
B/R’s Jonathan Wasserman didn’t have Onyenso included in his most recent mock draft.
When Onyenso originally committed to Kentucky in August 2022, he was also considering Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tennessee.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Onyenso decides to follow Calipari to Arkansas. The Razorbacks have already landed Zvonimir Ivisic from the transfer portal after he spent last season with Kentucky.
Onyenso also has the ability to explore various schools that will be intrigued by the possibility of adding a seven-footer with a wingspan of 7’5″ who showed tremendous shot-blocking ability last season.
It’s also possible Onyenso gets positive feedback from NBA teams and elects to remain in the draft.
There’s plenty of time for Onyenso to go through the process before making a decision. The deadline for players to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility is May 29.
Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang secured the services of one of the top shot blockers with the signing of elite big man Ugonna Onyenso (Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria/NBA Africa/Putnam Science Academy/Kentucky) to a Financial Aid Agreement on Tuesday (June 11).
A 7-foot, 247-pound center and former consensus top-25 recruit, Onyenso arrives at K-State after spending the last 2 seasons (2022-24) at Kentucky, where he was apart of 45 wins, including 25 in SEC play, and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2023, 2024). He played in 40 games in his 2 seasons as a Wildcat, mostly this past season where he played in the last 24 games with 14 consecutive starts to end the 2023-24 season.
The native of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria is a product of the NBA Academy Africa program, where he played in a number of high-profile international competitions in Europe, Mexico and the U.S., while he was one of the youngest players to ever make the senior men’s Nigerian National Team in 2020. As a senior, he helped lead prep powerhouse Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Conn., to 20 consecutive wins and a National Prep Basketball Championship upon coming to the U.S., in 2020.
The native of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria is a product of the NBA Academy Africa program, where he played in a number of high-profile international competitions in Europe, Mexico and the U.S., while he was one of the youngest players to ever make the senior men’s Nigerian National Team in 2020. As a senior, he helped lead prep powerhouse Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Conn., to 20 consecutive wins and a National Prep Basketball Championship upon coming to the U.S., in 2020.
Onyenso, who declared for the 2024 NBA Draft before opting to withdraw on May 29, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after his two seasons at Kentucky.
Onyenso developed into one of the top shot blockers in all of college basketball during his time at Kentucky, compiling 82 blocks in a mere 40 games played, including 66 in just 24 games in 2023-24. His 2.75 blocks per game average this past season ranks fifth in Kentucky school history among players with a minimum of 30 blocks. The average would have ranked sixth nationally had he played enough games to qualify for the list. The 66 total blocks tied for 32nd nationally, including the third-most in the SEC. He had at least 2 blocks in 21 games, including 3 or more on 16 occasions, while he had 5 or more blocks in 4 games.
Onyenso tied a Rupp Arena record with 10 blocks in a win over Ole Miss on Feb. 13, 2024, equaling a mark set by Navy’s David Robinson on Jan. 25, 1987. He narrowly missed a triple-double in an overtime loss to Florida on Jan. 31, posting career-highs for points (13), rebounds (16) and steals (2) to go with 8 blocked shots. He also had 5 blocks in the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament game against Oakland on March 21.
