Meet Felix Okpara, Ugonna Onyenso, four other Nigerians in 2026 NBA Draft

The second round of the 2026 NBA Draft was concluded in the early hours of Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y, USA, with six players from or with at least one parent from Nigeria drafted in this year’s draft.

Overall, more than 10 players from and with at least one parent from Africa were selected in this year’s NBA Draft.

Felix Okpara (selected 46th overall by the Orlando Magic) and Ugonna Onyenso (selected 53rd overall by the Houston Rockets) marked the second time that two players from Nigeria were selected in the same NBA Draft.

Onyenso is the third NBA Academy Africa alumnus and 15th NBA Academy alumnus overall to be drafted into the NBA.

Storylines of Nigerian players from the 2026 NBA Draft (First Round):

Ebuka Okorie (U.S.; ties to Nigeria; Stanford University) – 17th overall by Oklahoma City Thunder (as part of a planned trade, the Thunder will send the draft rights to Okorie to the Memphis Grizzlies who will send his draft rights to the Detroit Pistons).

Zuby Ejiofor (U.S.; ties to Nigeria; St John’s University) – 23rd overall by the Atlanta Hawks.

Second Round:

Otega Oweh (U.S.; ties to Nigeria, University of Kentucky) was selected as the 41st overall pick by the Miami Heat (as part of a planned trade, the Heat will send the draft rights to Oweh to the Oklahoma City Thunder). Oweh was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the league’s coaches in both seasons at Kentucky (2024-25, 2025-26).

Felix Okpara (Nigeria; University of Tennessee) was selected 46th overall by the Orlando Magic. Okpara earned 2025-26 SEC All-Defensive Team honors as a senior in his second season at the University of Tennessee. He ranks second in program history in blocks per game at 1.6 and is one of four Tennessee players to record multiple 50-block seasons.

Tobi Lawal (UK; ties to Nigeria, Virginia Tech) was selected 48th overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Lawal did not pick up a basketball until he was 16, growing up in London and starring for the City of London Academy before crossing the Atlantic. At Lee Academy Prep, he was dominant, averaging 14.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.0 steals while shooting 67% from the floor. He started his college career at VCU, and then transferred to Virginia Tech, where his game took off.

Ugonna Onyenso (Nigeria; University of Virginia) was selected 53rd overall by the Houston Rockets (as part of a planned trade, the Rockets will send the draft rights to Onyenso to the New York Knicks, who will send his draft rights to the Detroit Pistons), marking the second time that two players from Nigeria were selected in the same NBA Draft. Onyenso spent three years at NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal, making him the third NBA Academy Africa alumnus and 15th NBA Academy alumnus overall to be drafted into the NBA. At 17 years old, Onyenso became the youngest player ever to suit up for the Nigerian senior national team.