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Every scholarship player on the Kentucky Wildcats during the 2023-24 college basketball season either entered the NCAA transfer portal or declared for the NBA draft, giving new coach Mark Pope a clean slate after he replaced John Calipari in Lexington.
A handful of those players did both, giving themselves nearly unlimited options in looking for their next basketball home. Among those was Ugonna Onyenso, a 6’11 big man from Nigeria who averaged 3.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game for the Wildcats last year while shooting 55% from the field.
Onyenso initially planned to stay in the draft process no matter what, but eventually decided to enter the transfer portal to keep his options open.
He recently narrowed his list of schools down to five, and if he does ultimately return to school one of the following programs will be landing a dynamic rim protector and developing offensive player with two years of eligibility remaining:
Syndication: The Courier-Journal
Pat Kelsey has been one of the busiest coaches in all of college basketball navigating the transfer portal, replacing an entire roster and helping the program build from the ground up after the disastrous Kenny Payne era.
Most of Louisville’s additions have come in the backcourt, and Onyenso would be a fantastic piece to pair alongside recent addition Kasean Pryor from South Florida in the frontcourt. Onyenso’s shot blocking and low post presence would help complete what should be a competitive roster for the Cardinals in the ACC.
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Oklahoma just added former Alabama big man Mo Wague in the portal, their first frontcourt addition after a quartet of guards were brought in from the mid-major level previously.
Whether Wague is a response to changing tides on Onyenso is up for interpretation, but Porter Moser would certainly welcome a player with Onyenso’s rim protection and athleticism – and playing time should still be easy to come by as this program transitions into the SEC.
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North Carolina has repeatedly struck out on frontcourt targets in the transfer portal as they look to replace Armando Bacot. Jonas Aidoo picked Arkansas and Cliff Omoruyi picked Alabama, and now the Tar Heels will hope to bring Onyenso to Chapel Hill.
Onyenso’s offense could get unlocked playing alongside RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau and new sharpshooter Cade Tyson, and few places offer the chance to play in front of NBA scouts like UNC.
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Alabama already made a big addition in the frontcourt when they landed Rutgers center Cliff Omoruyi, and with Grant Nelson set to return the path to playing time for Onyenso is a little murkier in Tuscaloosa.
However, the opportunity to play for Nate Oats and on a team that went to the Final Four last year is certainly appealing, and it’s likely the Crimson Tide have some NIL money to dish out to sweeten the pot as well.
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Mississippi State had a nice season in the SEC under coach Chris Jans, and they have added a trio of talented guards via the portal in RJ Melendez (Georgia), Kanye Clary (Penn State) and Claudell Harris (Boston College).
They could use more help in the frontcourt, however, and adding Onyenso along with Miami’s Michael Nwoko gives the Bulldogs a dynamic pair of bigs to help replace the giant loss of Tolu Smith.
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Courtesy : https://collegesportswire.usatoday.com/lists/transfer-portal-ugonna-onyenso-kentucky-basketball/