33 Ugonna Onyenso

Ugonna Onyenso was born Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso on September 25, 2004, in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria to Martins and Lilian Chinyere.  He has four siblings: Ikenna, Chiwendu, Chidinma, and Queen. 

Onyenso attended the NBA Academy Africa for more than two years.  During his time with the academy, he participated in a number of high-profile international competitions in Europe, Mexico, and the United States, including the Tarkanian Classic and NBA Academy exhibition games.  He helped NBA Academy Africa win the European Youth Basketball League Tournament in Hungary.  In February of 2020, he became one of the youngest players ever to make the senior men’s Nigerian National Team. He made his debut with the team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in November of 2021.  Onyenso spent his senior season at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, the same program that former Wildcat Hamidou Diallo hailed from.  There, Onyenso made his debut on February 3, tallying 10 blocked shots in his first high school game. In his lone semester at Putnam, he averaged 11.4 points, nine rebounds, and nearly six blocks per game, with his team going 20-0 over that stretch, ultimately winning the national prep school championship.  He also shot 64.4% from the floor and had five games with at least 10 blocked shots.    

Over a week-and-a-half span in late July of 2022, Onyenso took official visits to UK, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State. At that point, it was widely expected that he would ultimately pick Kentucky, and he did just that on Aug. 1, 2022, announcing his commitment to the Cats and his move to the 2022 class.

Onyenso is a 6-foot-11, 225-pound big with the size and speed to wreak havoc in the paint on both ends of the court. His frame allows him to impose his will in the paint, and he has the potential to develop into an elite rebounder and shot blocker with terrific natural instincts.

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