Kansas State University Athletics
2024-25 Men's Basketball Roster
Onyenso, Ugonna
Jersey Number 34
Ugonna Onyenso
- Position:
- Center
- Ht./Wt.:
- 7-0 / 247
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria
- High School:
- Putnam Science Academy
- Prev School:
- Kentucky
Bio
Pronounced ooo-GAH-na ON-yen-so
FEATURES (click on headline for link)
Finding a Family at K-State (K-State Sports Extra, October 10, 2024)
'I'm Doing This For You' (K-State Sports Extra, August 12, 2024)
HONORS
- 2022-23 First-Year SEC Honor Roll
CAREER OVERVIEW
- Entered the transfer portal in April 2025 after 1 season at K-State (2024-25)… Transferred to K-State in June 2024 after 2 seasons at Kentucky (2022-24).
- Played in 24 games with 2 starts in his lone season at K-State.
- Has seen action in 64 games in his college career with 16 starts, including 40 games with 14 starts at Kentucky while leading the Wildcats to 45 wins and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2023, 2024).
- Has scored 192 points (3.0 ppg.) during his college career on 59 percent (79-of-134) shooting from the field and 63 percent (34-of-54) from the free throw line… Has also totaled 214 rebounds (3.3 rpg.) and 103 blocks (1.6 bpg.) in 826 minutes (12.9 mpg.).
- Averaged 2.8 points on 70 percent (28-of-40) shooting in his lone season at K-State in 2024-25 with 2.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 11 minutes per game.
- Has 2 career double-digit scoring games, including a career-high 16 points vs. Mississippi Valley State (11/19/24) on 6-of-7 field goals.
- Narrowly missed a triple-double while at Kentucky in an overtime loss to Florida (1/31/24), posting career-highs for points (13), rebounds (16) and steals (2) to go with 8 blocked shots.
- Grabbed double-digit rebounds in 3 games highlighted by the career-best 16-board effort and first career double-double against the Gators.
- One of the top shot blockers in college basketball, compiling 103 blocks in 64 games played, including 66 in just 24 games in 2023-24… The 66 total blocks tied for 32nd nationally, including the third-most in the SEC.
- Tied a Rupp Arena record with 10 blocks in a win over Ole Miss (2/13/24), equaling the mark set by Navy’s David Robinson.
- 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.
- Helped lead prep powerhouse Putnam Science Academy to 20 consecutive wins and a National Prep Basketball Championship upon coming to the U.S., in 2020.
- One of the youngest players to ever make the senior men’s Nigerian National Team in 2020.
Career-High Rebounds: 16 vs. Florida (1/31/24) while at Kentucky
Career-High Assists: 1, nine times
Career-High Steals: 2, twice
Career-High Blocks: 10 vs. Ole Miss (2/13/24) while at Kentucky
AS A JUNIOR AT K-STATE (2024-25) | 2.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 0.9 BPG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)
- Helped guide the Wildcats to a 16-17 overall record, including a tie for ninth in the Big 12 with a 9-11 mark.
- Played in 24 games with starts at UCF (2/26/25) and at home vs. Colorado (3/2/25)… Played in 265 total minutes, averaging 11 minutes per game… Played a season-high 27 minutes vs. Colorado (3/2/25).
- Averaged 2.8 points on 70 percent (28-of-40) shooting with 2.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game… Connected on 76.9 percent (10-of-13) from the free throw line.
- Scored in 14 of 24 games played, including a career-high 16 points vs. Mississippi Valley State (11/19/24) on 6-of-7 field goals.
- Connected on 76.9 percent from the free throw line, making 10 of 13 attempts… Was a perfect 4-of-4 from the line vs. Mississippi Valley State (11/19/24).
- Grabbed 58 rebounds, including 23 offensive boards… Grabbed a season-high 6 rebounds vs. Arizona State (2/23/25) and Colorado (3/2/25)… Also had 5 boards at St. John’s (12/7/24).
- Ranked third on the team with 21 blocked shots… Posted a season-high 4 blocks at Utah (2/17/25)… Had 2 or more blocks in 5 games, including 4 times in Big 12 play.
- Totaled 7 steals on the season with a season-high 2 vs. Arizona State (2/23/25).
- Played in 15 Big 12 games with 2 starts… Averaged 2.8 points on 75 percent (18-of-24) shooting in league-only games with 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 13.1 minutes per game… Connected on 66.7 percent (6-of-9) from the free throw line.
- Scored in 10 Big 12 games, including 9 points at No. 9/10 Kansas (1/18/25) on 4-of-4 field goals and 1-of-1 free throws in 15 minutes.
- Coached by Jerome Tang.
AS A SOPHOMORE AT KENTUCKY (2023-24) | 3.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.8 BPG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)
- Led the Wildcats to a 23-10 overall record, including a 13-5 mark in SEC play, and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, losing to Oakland in the first round.
- Saw action in 24 games with 14 starts, averaging 18.7 minutes per game… Missed the first 9 games due to a foot injury… All starts came in the last 14 games… Registered double figure minutes in 21 games, including a season-high 36 at Auburn (2/17/24).
- Averaged 3.6 points on 55 percent (33-of-60) shooting with 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 18.7 minutes per game… Connected on 58.8 percent (20-of-34) from the free throw line.
- In starting the last 14 games of the season, averaged 3.8 points on 51.4 percent (19-of-37) shooting with 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 blocks in 21.2 minutes per game.
- Scored in 19 games, including a season-high 13 points vs. Florida (1/31/24), in which, he connected on 4-of-11 field goals.
- Collected his first career double-double and narrowly missed a triple-double vs. Florida (1/13/24) with career-best in points (13) and rebounds (16) to go with 8 blocks.
- Tallied double-digit rebounds on three occasions highlighted by the 16-board performance vs. the Gators…. Also snagged 11 rebounds in a 70-59 win at No. 13 Auburn (2/17/24) as well as 10 boards at Texas A&M (1/13/24) to go with 7 points and 5 blocks.
- Led the team with 66 blocked shots, averaging 2.8 per game… The average would have ranked sixth nationally if he had played enough games to qualify for the list… The average ranks fifth in Kentucky school history among players with a minimum of 30 blocks… The total tied for 32nd nationally, including the third-most in the SEC.
- Posted at least 2 blocks in 21 games, including 3 or more on 16 occasions, while he had 5 or more blocks in 4 games… Totaled 4 blocks in an upset of No. 4 Tennessee (3/9/24) on the road… Had 5 blocks in the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament game vs. Oakland (3/21/24).
- Tied a Rupp Arena record with 10 blocks in a win over Ole Miss (2/13/24), equaling a mark set by Navy’s David Robinson on Jan. 25, 1987… It is the second-most by a Kentucky player in a single game all-time.
- Played in 18 SEC games with 11 starts… Averaged 4.0 points on 54.7 percent (29-of-53) shooting in league-only games with 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 20.1 minutes per game.
- Led the team with 48 blocks in SEC play… Posted 3 or more blocks in nine games with a career-best 10 vs. Ole Miss (2/13/24).
- Was second in rebounding (5.5 rpg.) in league-only games while leading the way with 38 offensive boards… Had double-digit rebounds in three games.
- Coached by John Calipari.
AS A FRESHMAN AT KENTUCKY (2022-23) | 2.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.0 BPG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)
- Led the Wildcats to a 21-12 overall record, including a 12-6 mark in SEC play, and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, losing to K-State in the second round.
- Saw action in 16 games, all off the bench, averaging 6.9 minutes per game while playing behind All-American Oscar Tshiebwe… Registered double figure minutes in 4 games, including a season-best 20 in the opener vs. Howard (11/7/22).
- Averaged 2.5 points on 52.9 percent (18-of-34) shooting with 2.6 rebounds and 1.0 block in 6.9 minutes per game… Connected on 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from the free throw line.
- Scored in eight games, including a season-high 9 points vs. Duquesne (11/11/22), in which, he connected on 4-of-7 field goals.
- Posted 6 points on 3-of-4 shooting with 4 rebounds and a season-high 4 blocks in his first college appearance vs. Howard (11/7/22).
- Twice grabbed double-digit rebounds, tying his season-high with 10 vs. Duquesne (11/11/22) and North Florida (11/23/22)… Had 4 or more rebounds in four other games.
- Was second on the team with 16 blocked shots… Totaled 3 or more blocks in five games, including a season-high 4 vs. Howard (11/7/22).
- Played in 5 SEC games… Averaged 0.4 points on 14.3 percent (1-of-7) shooting in league-only games with 1.2 rebounds in 3.6 minutes per game.
- Scored his first SEC points with a field goal vs. Georgia (1/17/23).
- Coached by John Calipari.
HIGH SCHOOL
- Was rated as a consensus 4-star prospect by all major recruiting services in 2023, including a 5-star by On3… Was a top-40 recruit by On3 (No. 18), ESPN (No. 30), Rivals (No. 35) and 247Sports (No. 39)… Rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Connecticut.
- Reclassified to the Class of 2022 upon enrolling at Kentucky.
- Spent his senior season at prep powerhouse Putnam Science Academy in Putnam, Conn., leading the school to 20 consecutive wins and a prep school national championship after joining the team in January 2020.
- Averaged 11.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game while connecting on 64.4 percent from the field as a senior in 2020… Had five games of at least 10 blocked shots… Posted a triple-double with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 11 blocks.
- Played in six games at the NBA Academy Games in Atlanta in the summer of 2022… Averaged 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game while connecting on 64.4 percent from the field… Registered 32 total boards (5.3 per game) on the offensive end.
- Played three years at the NBA Academy Africa program based in Thies, Senegal, playing in tournaments all over Europe, Mexico and the U.S., including the Tarkanian Classic and NBA Academy exhibition games… Helped his team win the European Youth Basketball League Tournament in Hungary.
- Coached by Tom Espinosa at Putnam Science Academy.
K-State MBB | Hang With Tang On The Go (Season 4, Episode 1)
Friday, September 05
K-State MBB | Coach Driscoll Mic'd Up
Friday, August 08
K-State MBB | Vet Week 2025
Monday, August 04
K-State MBB | Weight Room Renovations
Thursday, July 24
