Men's Basketball

UgonnaOnyenso

  • position Forward
  • height 6-11
  • Weight 225
  • class Freshman
  • Hometown Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
  • High school Putnam Science Academy | NBA Academy Africa

2023-24 (SOPHOMORE)
Played in 24 games, starting the last 14 … Averaged 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 points and 2.75 blocks per game … His 2.75 blocks per game rank him fifth all-time at Kentucky among players with a minimum of at least 30 blocks … Charted 16 games with multiple blocks, including 12 with three or more rejections … Five blocks in NCAA Tournament vs. Oakland … Six boards and four rejections in upset of No. 4 Tennessee on the road … Collected a team-high 11 rebounds at No. 13 Auburn while scoring seven points … Recorded 10 blocks at Ole Miss … Marked Rupp Arena record for a Kentucky player and the second most by a UK player in a single game all-time … Set career highs in points (13), rebounds (16) and steals (2), while also blocking eight shots vs. Florida in what was his first career double-double … Finished with seven points, 10 rebounds and five blocks at Texas A&M … Made season debut vs North Carolina after missing the first nine games with a foot injury.

2022-23 (FRESHMAN)
Played in 16 games off the bench … Averaged 2.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shot per game … Chipped in with seven points, 10 boards and a team-high three rejections in a win over North Florida … Posted six points and three blocks in the win over South Carolina State … Had a game-high 10 rebounds and added nine points and three blocks in win over Duquesne … Blocked a game-high four shots to go along with six points and four rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench against Howard … Named to First-Year SEC Honor Roll.

HIGH SCHOOL
Reclassified to the 2022 class … Ranked as a top-25 prospect in the 2023 class by all of the major scouting services … Spent his senior season at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut, the same program that former Wildcat Hamidou Diallo hailed from … Joined Putnam in January and the squad was a perfect 20-0 with Onyenso on the roster, including winning a national championship … Averaged 11.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game … Also shot 64.4% from the floor and had five games with at least 10 blocked shots … Had a 24-point, 11-rebound and 11-block triple-double … Playing at the NBA Academy Games in the summer of 2022, he scored in double figures in each of the six games he appeared … Averaged 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, while also connecting on 64.4% of his field-goal attempts … Registered 32 total boards (5.3 per game) on the offensive end … Prior to enrolling at Putnam, he attended 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 … Made his debut with the team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in November of 2021 … Scored 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting and had four rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes in a 96-69 win over Uganda.

PERSONAL
Born Sept. 25 in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria … Parents are Martins and Lilian Chinyere … Has four siblings, Ikenna, Chiwendu, Chidinma and Queen … His mom is his life’s greatest influence … Enjoys listening to music and playing video games away from the court … His pregame playlist consists of Lil Durk and Lil Baby … Superpower he most wishes he had is the ability to teleport … Giannis Antetokounmpo is his favorite basketball player and Anthony Davis is his favorite former UK player … Lists his most memorable moment as a basketball player as helping his high school win a national championship … Chose Kentucky over the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas.

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