Kansas State Adds Elite Shot Blocker Ugonna Onyenso

Onyenso is the ninth player to sign with the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season.

Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang secured a top shot blocker 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 joins K-State after spending the last two seasons (2022-24) at Kentucky, where he contributed to 45 wins, including 25 in SEC play, and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. He played in 40 games during his time with the Wildcats, most notably playing in the last 24 games of the 2023-24 season, starting 14 consecutive games to finish the season.

The native of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, is a product of the NBA Academy Africa program, participating in numerous high-profile international competitions in Europe, Mexico, and the U.S. Onyenso was one of the youngest players to make the senior Nigerian National Team in 2020. As a senior, he helped lead Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Conn., to 20 consecutive wins and a National Prep Basketball Championship after coming to the U.S. in 2020.

Onyenso, who declared for the 2024 NBA Draft before withdrawing on May 29, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after his time at Kentucky.

During his tenure at Kentucky, Onyenso developed into one of college basketball’s top shot blockers, compiling 82 blocks in 40 games. In the 2023-24 season, he amassed 66 blocks in just 24 games, averaging 2.75 blocks per game, which ranks fifth in Kentucky school history for players with a minimum of 30 blocks. His average would have ranked sixth nationally had he played enough games to qualify. The 66 total blocks tied for 32nd nationally and third-most in the SEC. He recorded at least 2 blocks in 21 games, including 3 or more on 16 occasions, and 5 or more blocks in 4 games.

Onyenso tied a Rupp Arena record with 10 blocks in a win over Ole Miss on February 13, 2024, matching a mark set by Navy’s David Robinson in 1987. He nearly achieved a triple-double in an overtime loss to Florida on January 31, posting career-highs in points (13), rebounds (16), and steals (2) alongside 8 blocks. He also had 5 blocks in Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament game against Oakland on March 21.

Over his Kentucky career, Onyenso averaged 3.1 points on 54.3 percent shooting, with 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 14.0 minutes per game. He grabbed double-digit rebounds in 5 games, highlighted by a career-best 16-board effort and his first double-double against Florida. He also had 11 rebounds in a win at No. 13 Auburn on February 17, adding 7 points.

Onyenso played in the last 24 games of the 2023-24 season with 14 consecutive starts after missing the first 9 games due to a foot injury. He averaged 3.6 points on 55 percent shooting, with 4.8 rebounds and 2.75 blocks in 18.7 minutes per game. He had one double-digit scoring game (13 points vs. Florida) and registered double-digit rebounds 3 times, highlighted by the career-best 16 against the Gators. Other notable performances included 7 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a loss at Texas A&M, and 6 rebounds and 4 blocks in an upset of No. 4 Tennessee.

As a freshman in 2022-23, Onyenso saw action in 16 games off the bench, averaging 2.5 points on 52.9 percent shooting, with 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 6.9 minutes per game, playing behind All-American Oscar Tshiebwe. He posted 6 points, 4 rebounds, and a season-high 4 blocks in the season opener against Howard. He followed with a near double-double against Duquesne, posting his first career double-digit rebound effort (10 rebounds) with 9 points and 3 blocks in 18 minutes. He had another double-digit rebound night against North Florida with 10 boards, along with 7 points and 3 blocks.

Onyenso was a consensus top-25 prospect among major scouting services in the Class of 2023 but opted to reclassify and join Kentucky ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Prior to enrolling at Kentucky, Onyenso scored in double figures in all 6 games he played at the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta in the summer of 2022, averaging 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game while connecting on 64.4 percent from the field.

Onyenso spent his senior season at Putnam Science Academy, leading the school to 20 consecutive wins and a prep school national championship after joining the team in January 2020. He averaged 11.4 points on 64.4 percent shooting, with 9.0 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game. He had 5 games with at least 10 blocked shots, including a 24-point, 11-rebound, 11-block triple-double performance.

Onyenso played three seasons at the NBA Academy Africa in Thies, Senegal, participating in tournaments across Europe, Mexico, and the U.S., including the Tarkanian Classic and NBA Academy exhibition games. He helped his team win the European Youth Basketball League Tournament in Hungary.

In 2020, at the age of 17, Onyenso became one of the youngest players to make the senior Nigerian National Team. He debuted with the team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in November 2021, scoring 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, with 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 16 minutes in a 96-69 win over Uganda.

Onyenso is the ninth player to sign with the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season, including the seventh Division I transfer. He joins Achor Achor (Melbourne, Australia/Greenforest McCalep Academy/Chipola College/Samford), Baye Fall (Dakar, Senegal/Accelerated Prep [Colo.]/Arkansas), Brendan Hausen (Amarillo, Texas/Amarillo/Villanova), Mobi Ikegwuruka (Galway, Ireland/Ellsworth [Iowa] Community College), C.J. Jones (East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis/UIC), Max Jones (Clearwater, Fla./Clearwater/University of Tampa/Cal State Fullerton), and Dug McDaniel (Washington, D.C./St. Paul VI Catholic/Michigan).

These transfers join top-50 high school prospect David Castillo (Bartlesville, Okla./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]), who signed during the early signing period on November 8.

K-State finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 record, tying for ninth in the Big 12 with an 8-10 mark, and advanced to the NIT. Among the Wildcats’ 19 victories were four over Top 25 teams, including three in the Top 10. The team has won 45 games during head coach Jerome Tang’s tenure, including consecutive postseason appearances.