Tang Signs Top-Tier Big Man Ugonna Onyenso
Onyenso is the ninth player to commit to the Wildcats for the 2024-25 season.
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang has secured the signing of elite big man Ugonna Onyenso, one of the top shot blockers, by finalizing a Financial Aid Agreement on Tuesday, June 11.
Onyenso, a 7-foot, 247-pound center and former consensus top-25 recruit, joins K-State after two seasons (2022-24) at Kentucky.
During his time with the Wildcats, he contributed to 45 victories, including 25 SEC wins, and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023 and 2024. Onyenso played in 40 games over his two seasons, with significant involvement this past season, playing in the last 24 games and starting 14 consecutive times to close the 2023-24 season.
Hailing from Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, Onyenso is a product of the NBA Academy Africa program. He participated in numerous high-profile international competitions in Europe, Mexico, and the U.S., and was one of the youngest players to join the senior men’s 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 arriving in 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 at Kansas State following his tenure at Kentucky.
Ugonna Onyenso, who declared for the 2024 NBA Draft before withdrawing on May 29, has two seasons of eligibility remaining after his two years at Kentucky.
At Kentucky, Onyenso developed into one of the top shot blockers in college basketball, amassing 82 blocks in just 40 games, including 66 blocks in 24 games during the 2023-24 season. His 2.75 blocks per game average this past season ranks fifth in Kentucky’s history for players with at least 30 blocks, and it would have ranked sixth nationally had he played enough games to qualify. His 66 total blocks tied for 32nd nationally and were the third-most in the SEC. He recorded at least two blocks in 21 games, three or more in 16 games, and five or more in four games.
Onyenso tied a Rupp Arena record with 10 blocks in a win over Ole Miss on February 13, 2024, matching Navy’s David Robinson’s mark set on January 25, 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) along with eight blocked shots. He also recorded five blocks in Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament game against Oakland on March 21.
Throughout his career at Kentucky, Onyenso averaged 3.1 points on 54.3% shooting (51-of-94) with 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 14.0 minutes per game.
He grabbed double-digit rebounds in five games, including a career-best 16-rebound effort and his first double-double in the game against Florida. He also had 11 rebounds in a 70-59 win at No. 13 Auburn on February 17, adding seven points.
Onyenso played the last 24 games of the 2023-24 season, starting the final 14 games after missing the first nine due to a foot injury. He averaged 3.6 points on 55% shooting (33-of-60) 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 on January 31) and recorded double-digit rebounds three times, highlighted by the career-best 16 against Florida. Notable performances include a 7-point, 10-rebound, 5-block effort in a loss at Texas A&M on January 13 and a 6-rebound, 4-block game in an upset of No. 4 Tennessee in Knoxville.
As a freshman in 2022-23, Onyenso played in 16 games off the bench, averaging 2.5 points on 52.9% shooting (18-of-34) with 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 6.9 minutes per game, playing behind All-American Oscar Tshiebwe. He posted six points, four rebounds, and a season-high four blocks in the season opener against Howard on November 7, 2022. He followed this with a near double-double against Duquesne on November 11, recording his first double-digit rebound effort (10 rebounds) along with nine points and three blocked shots in 18 minutes. He had a second double-digit rebound night against North Florida on November 23 with 10 boards, seven points, and three 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.
Before enrolling at Kentucky, Onyenso scored in double figures in all six games he played at the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta in the summer of 2022. He averaged 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 64.4% from the field.
During his senior season at Putnam Science Academy, Onyenso led the team to 20 consecutive wins and a prep school national championship after joining in January 2020.
He averaged 11.4 points on 64.4% shooting with 9.0 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game, recording at least 10 blocked shots in five games, including a 24-point, 11-rebound, 11-block triple-double performance.
Onyenso spent 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 the team win the European Youth Basketball League Tournament in Hungary.
At 17, Onyenso became one of the youngest players to join the senior Nigerian National Team in 2020.
He made his debut at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in November 2021, scoring 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four rebounds and two 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 and the seventh Division I transfer. He joins a roster featuring 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 eight 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 concluded 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 wins over Top 25 teams, including three against Top 10 opponents. The team has won 45 games during head coach Jerome Tang’s tenure, making consecutive postseason appearances.
